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Edition 6 | Oct 2019
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Dynamo Reviewed
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EXCLUSIVE
Interview with David Kurten AM
GEO-FENCING Have the authorities around the country learned anything?
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In an industry where stories sometimes resemble storylines from Eastenders, the last few weeks have been no exception. The multiple rumblings from Uber around the UK, whether it be tax, licensing or geo-fencing, will be intriguing most at the moment.
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Licensing
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 5 Image: Pixabay
Is the Government about to announce taxi reform legislation? Article written by: The Minister of State for Department for Transport, George Freeman MP has suggested that the Queen’s speech may include taxi law reform provisions. In a House of Commons debate on 3 of October, MPs debated Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Reform. The Minister of State for Department for Transport said during the debate that “the Government are thinking about their legislative programme”. The Minister said that raising the issues with the current laws around taxi licensing is timely and MPs have raised these “…at a time when the Government are pulling together their final plans for the Queen’s Speech.”
What can be expected? We already know that the Government, through the Taxi and Private Hire Task Group’s work, has committed to bringing forward legislation to introduce national minimum standards, national enforcement powers and a national licensing database. The Minister specifically referred to these in his response on behalf of the Government saying: “The Government … made a commitment to legislate on a number of key matters: national minimum standards, national enforcement powers and a national licensing database. I believe that, taken together, those measures would enable passengers—wherever and whoever they might be—to know that their driver had passed a
nationally agreed safety standard, and was working with robust oversight.”
Statutory guidance The Minister also used the opportunity to update MPs in the statutory guidance.
In his response, he said that the final version of the statutory guidance for local authorities in England and Wales “…will be issued very shortly.”
Future of Mobility consultation Closing his speech, the Minister confirmed that there will be a consultation launched on the future of mobility in the UK including innovation in the taxi and private hire sector saying the Government will consider “…how we can support new technology and innovation through regulatory frameworks. I am delighted to have this opportunity to announce to the House that I will shortly be launching a very wide consultation on the future of mobility, which will look into how existing and future transport systems can interact. In the long term, as part of our future of mobility review, we will consider how to introduce a regulatory framework which recognises the changes that the sector has undergone and can adapt to innovation.”
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Vehicle
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 6
Nissan Dynamo: The Review There’s been a lot of talk about the Dynamo taxi since it was first heard of in an industry rife with Chinese Whispers. If you listened to some of the doom and gloomers, the Nissan Dynamo was never going to make the market, but the quietly resilient and professional team working on it have certainly delivered.
So where do we start? The basics. The first all electric taxi is currently built in Coventry by Dynamo Motor Company and based on a Nissan eNV200 Evalia carrying 5 passengers. Its launch expected this month will offer the industry an alternative choice for the first time since the start of the electric revolution back in January 2018. Like most electric vehicles (EV), the torque is something the industry doesn’t usually experience. Instant powerful acceleration generated from its 109PS drivetrain will see a smooth and, if required, rapid ride for the driver and its passengers. A stiffer suspension to that of the traditional diesel TX4’s, gives the rider that monorail feel as they fly down bus lanes with little more than a faint hum in the background.
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Vehicle
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 8
The Dynamo is as agile as any other cabs on the market with its turning circle looking much more robust than previous commercial van conversions entering the industry in the past. The driver has been treated to a more than roomy cabin with all the tools you’d expect from any modern day car. Reverse parking cameras, DAB radio and climate control all as standard. Whilst some could argue that the driver’s cabin does give off a basic feel reaching back to its van heritage, it could also be argued that it’s durable and practical to the needs of a working cabbie. If you’re an experienced EV driver you’ll know that your driving habits will have to adapt to get the best out of the vehicle. Regeneration braking offers more range and less wear and tear on brake pads than nonEV taxis. The team at Dynamo reliably tell us that the taxi will do over 170 miles per charge. That’s a decent range for any cabbie without a big commute into the city that they are licensed in. However, there is now a reliance on an efficient and well maintained charging network in your area, both where you ply-for-hire and where you live.
perform differently or be maintained at higher or lower levels.
A rapid 50Kw street charger will take 40-60 minutes to get you from around 20% to 80% charged. A home charge is likely to take roughly 7 hours using an installed charge point.
So what will it cost to charge the Dynamo? Having driven 30,000 miles in an EV taxi myself, I think Dynamo’s estimate of roughly £30, maybe £40 if you’re putting the miles in, per week is pretty spot on. Home charging is a must to be able to achieve that figure though.
Whilst you can charge your taxi using a three pin plug home socket, it’s likely to take over 21 hours to do so!
Now we’re talking money, the price of the taxi is confirmed as £47,995 after government subsidies/grants totalling £7,500.
The taxi comes with multiple charging options including the Chademo and CSS points. It’s always handy having both available to use as some charge points will
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Vehicle
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 9
Whilst that figure has crept up a little since its first estimate a couple of years back, it still represents very good value in the taxi market. With so few moving parts, servicing and maintenance can be expected to be significantly lower than that of their internal combustion engine counterparts.
cab interior with seating for 5 people; 3 facing forwards and 2 facing backwards. There is enough leg room for a comfortable ride in the Dynamo, but other taxis might have a slight edge in terms of its overall passenger cabin design. Passengers will need to use the manual sliding door to enter the taxi and the From a business point of view, the figures will all add panoramic glass roof is a fantastic addition to let more light in, given the smaller windows in the rear. up if you’re a full time driver or a fleet owner. If you’re Wheelchair access and an easy access step completes a part-time driver you might still have to wait for the the passenger experience. second hand market to kick in as the savings come through the number of miles you drive. There is good luggage space in the front, which is vital So the driver is pleased and comfortable, what about as you may struggle to fit anything more than the five the punters in the back? They are handed a functional passengers in the back without it effecting the customers’ comfort.
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Vehicle
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To sum up... It’s a functional modern taxi that future proofs the driver going forwards. In writing this summary there’s two ways I could do it. I could compare it against the LEVC TXE taxi, but that wouldn’t be fair as it’s a completely different vehicle and there’s pro’s and con’s to both.
So let’s compare it against what you’d be replacing this vehicle with. From a drive perspective, it’s a step up from the diesel taxis of past. No question. It’s also more comfortable for the driver. It’s also very economical to run. However, the customer cabin feels smaller than other taxis old and new on the market.
extender taxi it’s less of a worry as there’s no urgency to charge if there’s none available or you’re not near one. That mind set will be different for cabbies looking to go 100% electric though. The question I keep asking myself is: “With how many miles left on the clock would I start thinking about charging?” Do you start looking for a charge point at 50 miles remaining? Any less and potentially you’re turning away good fares. A prime example would be when the Stansted Express goes down in London. It’s 34 miles from Liverpool Street Station to the Airport. You’ve then got only 16 miles to locate a working and available charger.
These concerns shouldn’t put you off test driving the Dynamo though. The two EV taxis on the market, as As an experienced EV driver myself, drivers should be mentioned before, are completely different and it’ll mindful of the charging network in their city. Currently only be when you test both of them you’ll find what the biggest issue facing EV cabbies in London is the lack suits you best. of and reliability of rapid chargers. With a range
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Feature
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 12
Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus False in one, false in all From one, learn all‌. But have the authorities the length and breadth of the country learned anything? Article by: Lee Ward, Chairman of ALPHA Some fifteen months ago it came to light that Uber Neil McGonigle (Head of Cities, had used a platform which did not accept the booking UK & Ireland for Uber): until the driver had done so, and were forced to change the App so that London (and its surrounding area) was Geo-Fenced to only allow vehicles licensed by Transport for London (TfL) to operate. This gave Uber London Ltd (ULL) the ability to give notice to the passenger that ULL had accepted the booking and were matching the customer to a driver. However, the rest of the country has continued to operate the same platform that Deloitte stated to TfL, and that Mr. Elvidge (who resigned as a company director of ULL and Uber Britannia Ltd (UBL) on the 23rd April 2019) confirmed was illegal in the order of how a booking was accepted, the acceptance screen for the rest of the UK. Through a Freedom of Information request, I received a copy of this email to Sheffield City Council (SCC) Licensing from
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Feature
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From the same FOI I also received a summary of how a This raises a huge and very important question, why booking was taken by UBL in Sheffield before and after have other authorities not taken a closer and more the March geo-fencing: detailed look into how UBL operate within their licensing jurisdiction?
I see no changes in how bookings are accepted, can you?
It is clear from the published correspondence by TfL on this matter that a letter from ULL admitted that in an area such as London (when it used vehicles licensed from other areas) it was the driver who had to accept before ULL did, simply because ULL did not know who to back fill the booking to in regards of the operator licence to which that vehicle and driver would be registered with.
Now, let’s look at the court’s ruling made by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, particularly paragraph 18:
Mr. McGonigal clearly states, for the avoidance of doubt, that Mr. Elvidge agreed with these ‘hypothetical’ propositions, yet Chief Magistrate Arbuthnot also clearly stated that should the person who made the false representation of the order in which bookings were made be accountable on that date (of the TfL v ULL court hearing 2018), then they would in fact be held accountable for the misguiding information that they provided to TfL. Details which were uncovered by an investigation that Deliotte made under order from TfL due to pressure from the trade. Those falsities deceived TfL that the driver accepted the booking before the operator did, which even to this day UBL in my opinion still do, or why would Mr. McGonigle make such efforts to state that ULL are not governed by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (LGMPA 76).
This letter was from the 2nd of September 2017, and on the 14th March 2018 Uber UK did in fact change how they operate by making their magical 9 Geo-Fenced areas across the UK, one of which was London. London was the only area that now allowed London-only licensed vehicles and drivers to operate, London was also the only area that the Uber App showed the customer that ULL had accepted the booking and was then looking for a driver. This change was made just 3 months before ULL had their licence appeal heard.
Coincidence, I really don’t think so.
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Feature
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 14
date (1955) that national speed limits were set, so should we use the same excuse the next time we get a fine for speeding? No, we would be laughed out of the court, so what makes our industry so special to excuse a company who is breaking the law nationally and thousands of times per day? UBL have never had their system investigated as ULL did, and it is time that one authority out there spent the money from the license fees that they collect and use it to prove once and for all. I am sure the drivers who pay the authority their fees would want this to be settled and perhaps make the first step into solving My question of frustration is, why have the authorities cross border hiring that has become a cancer to this trade we hold so dear. not realised, or indeed investigated thoroughly that UBL have not changed their platform like ULL did to Remember, all licence holders must be investigated help ensure that they are compliant with the LGMPA equally when accusations of illegality are made against 1976? After all, they go out of their way to ensure that them, regardless of their bank balance or support. both Taxi and Private Hire drivers stay compliant. I started this letter with a Latin quote, so I will finish it Some may say that authorities can at times be with one. overzealous in their approach to regulating drivers, so why not Operators too? An example of this is highlighted in the new national database where authorities can check to see if an applicant has had a licence refused or revoked elsewhere, yet to my knowledge people who have or had held an Operator’s Licence are not on the data base.
We have heard that technology has surpassed the LGMPA 1976 and that Government need to update the regulations, well vehicle technology has surpassed the
Parvus pendetur fur, magnus abire videtur
The petty thief is hanged, the big thief gets away
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Charity
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Tax
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 16
Uber “defending itself vigorously” in attempt to remain UK VAT exempt
£1billion VAT Ride-hailing firm Uber is “defending itself vigorously” in an attempt to be exempt from paying VAT in the UK. In this year’s accounts published on 8 October, Uber London Limited (ULL) detailed their concerns, which included a possible £1billion tax bill to the Exchequer should the firm be classified as a ‘transportation’ company. The minicab app giants have always classified themselves as a software company which is exempt from the tax. According to the accounts submitted, being classified as a transportation provider would result in 20% VAT on Gross Bookings or on the service fee that ULL charges the drivers, both retroactively and prospectively.
disputes and audits is without merit and is defending itself vigorously.”
HMRC opened up an investigation into Uber’s tax classification in May. According to The Times, a HMRC spokesman said at the time: “HMRC will always make sure that every business, no matter its size, pays all the taxes due under UK law and we don’t settle for less. HMRC’s ability to assess for tax will always depend on the specific facts and circumstances of any case.” The private hire operator also detailed further threats to its business which included claims and litigation surrounding classification of drivers as independent contractors.
ULL did however reveal revenue rose up to £68million, The accounts filed state: “The Uber Group believes equating to a 15% rise from the previous year. In turn, that the position of HMRC and the regulators in similar profits jumped from £2.4million to £5.1million.
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Licensing
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 17
The gloves are off! Medway Council agrees to take on Uber over licensing issues
Image: @CllrDanMcD (Twitter)
Medway Council have passed a motion to challenge Uber's legality to operate in the area.
any moves to challenge Uber, including by way of financial backing.
Hundreds of taxi drivers watched during a public meeting held at St George's Centre, Chatham, on 10 October.
Councillor Jane Chitty also worked closely on the motion and said: "It’s been incredibly complex.
The motion, which was suggested by councillor Dan McDonald, was agreed by both sides of the chamber following a council-funded legal investigation into whether the firm was legally or illegally operating within the Medway licensing area.
"We are pathfinders in trying to achieve a clear legal definition to show us how to act accordingly.
Cllr McDonald said: "Taxi drivers are seeing their profession being decimated daily.
"There is no legal precedent for action like this.
"We want to clarify the situation and try to move forward. "The next action is in the hands of our taxi drivers and we would support them 110%.
"I pay tribute to MLTDA [Medway Licensed Taxi Drivers Association] for their evidence, patience and passion. "Each step forward is a step to finding a solution to what is an enormously emotive topic, it’s about wages "Medway licensed cabs are fighting and being able to work fairly.
back but the council need to support them.
"They are solid and dependable, if you don’t support them, an honest service will die and Uber will put their prices up overnight. "Mr Mayor, let's make history tonight to truly show our support to Medway taxi drivers." The decision means the council has agreed to support
"It may take time and it may be small steps but we’re determined to come to a legal decision.”
Labour leader Cllr Vince Maple added an unerring final message to the Silicon Valley tech firm, saying: "Uber your time is up, you've had your chance, we're coming for you."
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Interview
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 18
David Kurten London Assembly Member Given the recent court cases surrounding two Uber drivers, what would your response be were Uber to argue that it was a minor infraction of the law which didn't directly involve them as a company? That's a good question, it would be for TfL or the court to decide if Uber could have done something about it. However, this was a probationary period where they had to be "perfect". You have some of the same problems re-occurring from prior to the issuing of the probationary licence. If Uber were to lose their licence, it's not as though the market will shrink, because there are other operators out there who will step in to take Uber's place. If TfL decided that an operator is not "fit and proper" then another operator will step in who is "fit and proper". Do you believe that there are enough compliance officers to police the taxi and PHV industry in London? I think that we have around 250 compliance officers policing 110,000 taxis and PHVs, that's not enough.
Image: www.ukip.org
They can only see a tiny fraction of vehicles every day in a small area, so you need more certainly. To be fair, the Mayor has increased compliance officer numbers, when he started there was only around 80 officers, there are now around 250, but you need more. Could you tell us more about the motion which you recently proposed? Sure, one was to ask the Mayor to reinstate the Mercedes Vito as an approved taxi because there's simply not enough rapid charging points in London for electric vehicles. The other part of the motion was to ask the Mayor to reconsider his plan to reduce the maximum taxi licence age from 15 years to 12 years, because that's going to hurt a lot of taxi drivers and it's going to reduce the fleet number. As I said in my opening speech, the number of taxis has dropped by 2,500 since the Mayor took office, from about 22,000 to 19,000. So, if he brings in this plan to
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Interview
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to reduce the age to 12 years, that's going to knock off has 700,000 people and is the size of 2 London another 5-6000 taxis from the taxi fleet, numbers will boroughs and it's much less densely populated. reduce to 13-14000, it's going to decimate the fleets. In comparison, Central London is densely populated. Has the Mayor expressed any sort of concern in They are trying to densify it even more by building new relation to the decimation of the fleets? high-rise blocks of flats everywhere, so London is This has come up before, however the Mayor says that getting more densely populated and the roads are being narrowed. So of course, it's not going to work. this is about air quality and taxis need to play their The politically correct line is you must support cycle superhighways, you must support this whole "green" agenda, even if the effects of it are not what people say it's going to be. We need to keep the road space around London open however because we need to keep traffic moving.
Image: Pixabay
part. His view is ‘we need to get rid of a lot of the older taxis off the road because they are producing lots of pollution.’
Have TfL entered any dialogue with local councils in relation to taxis being excluded from certain roads around London?
Councils across London can act as they see fit in relation to the roads that they are in control of, as far as I am aware. TfL has the red routes, but councils have to follow the Mayor’s transport strategy, they have to follow the London plan. So, as an example TfL Those numbers are just pulled out of thin air, they are supported Camden Council's decision to narrow not based on any empirical observation, they're based Tottenham Court Road, they have a hand in what is on estimates, you can't know if they are real or not. going on there. If we had a Mayor that wasn't Do you feel that much of the pollution around supportive, then these schemes might not happen. London has been created by the road schemes Is there a reason why the Mayor has almost excluded brought in by TfL and local councils? the taxi industry from his transport strategy, despite The Mayor has pulled figures out of the air, blaming taxis for being responsible for 25 or 30% of pollution in Central London. He says that number is going up every year, so he needs to take older taxis off the road.
Of course, they are, absolutely. Some of them are just completely ridiculous. People come out with the schemes in a bid to make the neighbourhood better but invariably they create total gridlock. And if you have gridlock, journey times are longer, so the cars are sitting in traffic for longer, creating more nitrogen dioxide. Speeds get lower and there's more congestion. London is never going to be a cycling paradise. Some people think that London is going to become like Amsterdam or Copenhagen, but it's not. Amsterdam
when taking office assuring the industry that they were an integral part of the public transport network? I asked him that specifically a few months ago. He said that he wants 80% of Londoners taking public transport or walking and cycling by 2041. I asked him specifically if he saw taxis as public transport in that 80% figure, the Mayor said no. And that was a shock to me, because I thought he would see taxis as part of the public transport system. He sees taxis as part of the 20% that are problematic,
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Interview
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 21
which include emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles Given the fact that the LEVC taxi and the Nissan too. dynamo taxi are both zero emission capable, should I think the target is wholly unrealistic. It's 2019, it's a the age limit be removed for these vehicles? target for 2041. He's not going to be the Mayor in 2041. He can say this but bears no responsibility for delivering it because he will be long gone by then. Should the taxi industry be concerned in relation to the Mayor's transport strategy, given that a new Mayor can change that transport strategy? Boris, when he was Mayor, had his own transport strategy, as did Sadiq Khan. It takes so long to implement these strategies that by the time they are put in place a new Mayor could come along and change that strategy to one which is more taxi friendly.
Yes, that makes sense to me, I have no problem with that at all. The new vehicles are cleaner, but you also need competition in the market as well. There's been no competition in the market whatsoever for the last year or so. However, with the Nissan Dynamo coming onto the market we will start to have some We need a new Mayor that is going to support the taxi competition which will hopefully push the price of a new vehicle down. Trade without these unintended consequences. With the Nissan Dynamo coming along very soon, is there concern at the lack of charging points across London? I think there could be issues. I don't know how many people will want to buy a fully electric taxi if there are no charging points. Image: LEVC
Do you think that the Mayor's actions in relation to the taxi industry is preventing potential candidates from doing The Knowledge? I think people look at The Knowledge and given what is going on at the moment, ask themselves "is it worth it?" You have to make a lifetime business plan, and you may be losing money for the first 5 or 6 years given the cost of undertaking The Knowledge in the first place.
The Mayor talks about there being 100 rapid charging points in London and 70 of them are for taxis only, however none of them are in Westminster. There are some in Hounslow, Hackney, some in Brent, but for people who are working in the centre there are few rapid charging points and none in Westminster.
People are looking at the apps and the reduction in the lifespan of a taxi and wondering if it's worth doing it.
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Charity
May 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 20
Interview
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 23
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Feature
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Article written by: Jason Clauson I am a retired Met Police Constable with 30yrs service with 10yrs as a Traffic PC, or ‘Black Rat’. I am now a Green Badge London Taxi Driver and proud of being both.
Transfer plates. However, like many things in life, a common term supersedes the correct one. DVLA website calls them ‘personalised’ plates, but documentation uses the Cherished Transfer name.
Reporting people for having illegal number plates was a common ‘Ticket’ and carries a £100 fine or a trip to court where a possible £1,000 fine awaits. No penalty points are involved, but as you will see from below it’s still serious enough to warrant action.
How long did you think Mr Hoover got the hump over people calling ALL vacuum cleaners a 'Hoover’? It is what it is and as Taxi drivers we are all acutely aware of the misuse of our name.
appearance of your plate to 'look' like something you want it to look like. Altering letters, spacings, fonts, sizes and adding anything is illegal, which I will cover later.
They ask that if you intend to do this, they would rather you not purchase the plate. All rather wishy washy, I am sure you'll agree. I don't underestimate the income stream they receive from the sales, but you can have it withdrawn. I reported quite a few over the years and many that were repeat offenders lost their 'prized' plate.
A Cherished Transfer number is NOT your property, as Hopefully this article, along with the official advice from with all Number Plates they remain the property of DVLA of course, can help you avoid the above. DVLA. You pay for the right to display the number you There are many offences linked to Number Plates, so to paid for, any Registration Number found to be misused clarify what you can and, more importantly, cannot do then DVLA can withdraw the number without refund. with your Number plate I have written this article. They are 'sold' under the condition you do not alter, misrepresent or otherwise modify the number. Firstly, and most simply, you cannot alter the
Let's talk about 'owning' your own number plate, strangely many people put much store on what they call a 'Personal' or 'Private' plate. There is in fact no such thing. They should correctly be termed Cherished
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You cannot buy a number plate anywhere without showing proof of ownership and entitlement to display a plate and proof of ID. You must buy through an RNPS, Registered Number Plate Supplier. Until fairly recently, it would be impossible to buy a legal number plate any other way than in person, so all mail order/online purchases were therefore illegal. However, there are now legal methods to do this WITH the correct documentation provided {uploaded} to licensed sellers. So therefore, the usual eBay or market place seller invariably has a disclaimer that 'Plates sold are for novelty purposes and not for road use' or similar. The bottom line is be sure who you are buying from, but if you are not providing proper documents to prove you are legally entitled to a plate, then you are not buying a legal number plate.
What can I have 'on' my plate? Very little actually, so the football team badges and other add-ons are strictly in the novelty purposes only bracket. So, how else can you fall foul of the law? Incorrectly spaced characters, misplaced screws and screw heads, and the wrong colour screw heads (they must match the background they are on, if the screw goes through part of a character then the screw head must match the 'greater' part of the location of the hole). Dirty, obscured, damaged plates are also illegal. So, leaving it dirty on purpose is not a get out, not replacing it when damaged, the same. Covering your plate with a film to ‘reflect’ speed camera flashes is also, unsurprisingly illegal.
Let's look at the bit of plastic used on a number plate, I often got asked why the big fuss? white at the front yellow at the back of course. Since It's a legal 'document' and 2001, it MUST bear the maker’s name, postcode and identification number for your vehicle. the BS British Standard mark, which shows the material A witness to a collision, or the theft of your vehicle may used is the legally required type for impact strength, have a split second to see and remember your plate, if clarity, lamination, bending etc. it’s not standard (i.e. Legal), then it’s going to hamper any enquiries or investigation. The ANPR system is fantastic but it is limited to how it's programmed so they don't have loads of different fonts and software to read a whole dictionary of letters and numbers. Incorrectly spaced characters, misplaced screws etc., all conspire to confuse an otherwise superb system. With ever-increasing use of these cameras to Since 1973, plates have had to be reflective white and track uninsured, stolen or criminals’ vehicles, it doesn't help catch the right people if your plate doesn't yellow, and since 2001 exactly to the current format (although prior to 2001 it was broadly similar to today, conform to the law. More importantly, if your pride they just standardized a few things). The font must be a and joy is stolen then an ANPR camera will not pick it up as intended and alert the Police. certain type and the characters a certain size. Thanks for reading,
Jason Clauson
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Card Payments
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 26
Taxi drivers in Liverpool start six month countdown to offer all customers card payment facilities Cabbies in Liverpool are getting prepared to ensure all taxis have card payment facilities available to customers in six month’s time. By 7 April 2020, card machines must be installed in all Liverpool Licenced Hackney Carriages. Following the Licensing Committee’s decision in July 2019, all Liverpool City Council hackney carriages must have a card payment facility to accept debit/credit and contactless card payments.
Image: Liverpool City Council
Drivers must also issue a receipt if requested by the passenger. Cabbies have the option of either purchasing a printer or the receipt must be issued to the customer via email, text message or written receipt. Any taxi found with the card holder not affixed to the partition or not complying with any requirements of the card reader facility or signage, will be issued a defect notice by an Authorised Officer. The defect will remain in place until the vehicle is presented and officers find the vehicle compliant.
As part of the process, we have listened to the concerns of the taxi drivers and acted upon them, by amending the proposals.
“In an increasingly cashless society, it is clear that card payments are the preferred option for many people in shops, supermarkets, cafes and bars. With a cruise terminal, an international airport and many thousands of foreign visitors each year who don’t carry cash, it is important that we move with the times and give the customer what they want.
“This proposal also plays a big role in public safety because it means that late-night travellers will be able Chair of Liverpool City Council’s Licensing Committee, to get home safely without the worry of not having any Cllr Christine Banks, said in July: “This is a positive move cash on them.” for the city’s taxi trade and one that will make it easier for people to travel by cab in our city.
What the readers say...
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Health
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 28
“Your business (and cab) can only run properly, if YOU are running properly.”
Glenn Shelford
Fat loss expert
I’m Glenn, and I’m a fat loss expert based in Herts & North London. I’ve been working with city workers, drivers and clients for over 10 years. During that time,
I’ve watched my Dad join the ranks of London’s best, and seen what it did to his health and weight. So, I vowed to help him.
Glenn@gfitpt.com karate all them years back, I’d be OK… it took 2 weeks to get my back straightened out again.”
What did you find hardest about the weight loss? “Just the diet stuff really, it hit me how I’d tried to hide Paul, 57, London black taxi driver, works 40+ hours per week
Working with my Dad was easily one of the most positive, yet conflicting, experiences I have had. Although I’d done it with countless other people, my Dad had been cracking on regardless and still coming home on a regular basis with a ketchup sandwich (not as bad as it sounded!). To advise someone that close to you, it sometimes gets hard to get them to take you seriously as they can answer you back and argue, but he was a great listener and took everything I said with a smile and followed the instructions. Which is why the pictures speak for themselves and here’s what he had to say about it:
How did you feel when first trying to get back into it? “Like crap if I’m honest mate, I thought after doing
3 inches off waist 2 inches off chest 1 stone lost in 6 weeks
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Health
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 29
Were there any changes you found at work?
properly. It might sound a bit “Yeah I didn’t stiffen up as much, and it became easier simple, but when you’re picking stuff up on the go, you to concentrate as I wasn’t relying on coffees to keep might look at the calories or label. But that’s it, it me going. I could still eat what I wanted, but by doesn’t get a second thought as I want to get back out learning a bit more about it, it made me confident that on the road. I could have stuff I liked and still lose weight.” “Being able to exercise in twenty minutes or less is This may not be the typical results of most cabbies fantastic as I can do it around work and not have to who turn their attention to getting back in shape, but make such a big effort when I’m home from work and it is possible. Most guys will join their old gym, go to shattered.” slimming clubs with their wife or partner, or try to get Giuseppe, 30, London black taxi driver, works 50-60 hours per week back into something like football with their mates. This is what my dad and Giuseppe had done in various forms for a few years, and it had some success. But not long lasting. The late nights, early starts and long periods of inactivity made the weight start to creep on. Understandably so, after doing one of the hardest tests in the world to merely get a job, damn right you’d want to get everything you can out of it.
But at some point, it’s worth remembering that your business (and cab) can only run properly, if YOU are running properly. At this point I’d like to hand over to Giuseppe who answered some questions about the program we built for him:
4 inches off waist 1.5 inches off chest Four weeks
How were you feeling when you first started? “My back hurt, a lot. That wasn’t a good sign when I’m in my early thirties, and even more so it embarrassed me when me and my brother started playing football again. Forty seconds in, I was puffed and had to sit down.” And what did you find helped the most straight away? “The knowledge about foods and how to exercise
Which areas have improved the most? “My posture and belly definitely, as well as the inches, I used to hunch a lot when driving. Now I’m a lot more aware of what I’m doing, and things just don’t hurt as much. Like when I’d get out the cab before, my back would kill and I’d have to stretch, that isn’t the case anymore.”
I don’t want this to just stop with Giuseppe or my Dad. Frankly, even if one more taxi driver can get any sort
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Health
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 30
of value or inspiration from reading this, that’ll be enough for me. I’ve seen what it can do, changing my Dad’s life and how it affected:
•
How to raise your metabolism and get your daily calorie burn a lot higher
•
The tricks food advertisers are playing and how to avoid falling for it
•
His relationship with my mum
•
His energy levels and headaches he used to get •
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Concentration levels and his ability to work longer without needing a break.
These are all huge parts of your life that can get compromised when working all the hours you can do, or on different shifts. Which is why I’ll be running a series of content posts in TaxiPoint, talking about topics such as:
•
Lower back strength and how to improve posture Stretches and quick exercises to improve your belly, and that take zero time.
I’d love to hear back from readers, if you’ve got any comments or questions, or would like to get involved with the 6 week Taxi Transformation Challenge, email me at Glenn@gfitpt.com
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Vehicle
October2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 31
Images: LEVC
LEVC opens THREE new UK taxi dealerships as demand increases The London EV Company (LEVC) has increased its regional presence across the UK by opening three new dealerships. Based in Nottingham, Slough and Southampton, the new retailers will offer sales and aftersales support. LEVC’s existing retail network is spread across 12 UK cities with the TX now a common sight on the streets of Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as its largest market, London.
ever-increasing demand for the TX electric taxi. LEVC recently celebrated a record September with its best month of sales in company history: 352 examples of the TX were sold, building on month-on-month sales growth since April this year.
Jöerg Hofmann, LEVC CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome new partners in Nottingham, Southampton and Slough into the LEVC family, expanding our retail network as we implement our growth strategy. These new dealerships will help us engage with our customers in a greater number of regions in the UK, bringing us closer than ever to the people who drive our taxis every day.”
Supporting drivers already operating in Nottingham, Slough and Southampton – and making it even easier for new customers to buy an LEVC TX – the addition of these new dealers will also underpin local authorities’ efforts to improve urban air quality by introducing zero LEVC’s range will grow further in 2020 with the launch emissions-capable taxis across the UK. of a new electric van, based on the TX Taxi and sharing the same eCity technology. The growth of the network is also further evidence of
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Charity
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 32
Three London taxi drivers reach Kilimanjaro summit to raise thousands for war veterans Three brave London cabbies have reached their goal by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The climb up the world’s tallest freestanding mountain was started out as an innocuous tweet asking fellow drivers if they wanted to lose weight and improve their lifestyle by training to climb the formidable Kilimanjaro. The challenge then went into overdrive with some impressive weight loss, fundraising and a memorable fitness journey, which included a special feature from Bear Grylls. Brian, John and Daren achieved their goal by reaching the pinnacle of the world’s highest mountain. The climb has raised thousand’s of pounds for the Taxi
Charity for Military Veterans. Those funds will help war veterans, in their homes and hospitals, throughout London and the home counties by providing entertainment, outings and much needed specialised equipment. The charity relies solely on donations from the general public and organisations, and on volunteer London licenced taxi drivers to provide their taxis and time for free.
Charity
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 33
Taxi drivers pedal from London to Brighton for wheely good cause
A team of cabbies raised a whopping £8,000 for charity glass of our drink of choice.” after cycling 55 miles from London to Brighton. The team raised more than £8,000 towards the cost of A total of 14 members of the London Taxi Drivers the next LTCFC Mad Hatters Tea Party, which will be Charity for Children (LTCFC) took part in the 2019 held in January 2020, and will give 600 disadvantaged Skyline London to Brighton Cycle Ride on Sunday 15 and special needs children a magnificent party. September, pedalling from Clapham Common to Colin added: “The committee members would like to Madeira Drive on Brighton’s seafront. pass on our sincere thanks and gratitude to all of the The team comprised LTCFC committee members Colin Greaves, Steve Bell and Paul Barber, taxi driver Keith Oates and supporting team members Joe Bainborough, Steve Church, Adie Church, Daryl Bradford, Ben Bradford, Mark Tamuta, Martin Bell, Jack Oates, Calum Oates and Nicholas Day. Colin Greaves said: “After months of training in preparation for the event, there was a sense of nervous excitement and trepidation as the group set off together across the start line at 8am on a glorious Sunday morning. By 1pm we had all passed the finish line and were happily stretched out on the grassy embankment by Brighton Marina with a well-earned
members of the LTCFC London to Brighton cycle team. This has been a major commitment for all those involved and we thank them for investing the time and effort in their training programmes and fundraising activities. We’d also like to pass on our sincere thanks to all donors and sponsors who have contributed to the financial success of this fundraising event.” The London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children (LTCFC) will be holding their Annual General Meeting at the Samuel Rhodes School, 11 Highbury New Park, London N5 2EG at 7.30pm, Tuesday 19 November. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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Feature
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 34
The truly magical taxi tour MAGICAL /ˈ madʒɪk(ə)l : Adjective DEFINITION: Used for describing something with a special and exciting quality. Beautiful or delightful in a way that seems removed from everyday life. To try to explain the wonder of the Children’s Magical Taxi Tour, I thought I would begin with trying to understand the meaning of Magical.
Article written by London Cabbie
While the official definition is very true, it does not begin to describe or capture what the Magical Tour really means! It is something exciting and special for sure, but oh so much more!
Shelley Harnett
tummies on the way to Paris! Magical is the goodie bag of treats awaiting every child just to get them started… when they have no idea of what is yet to come! It’s being chaperoned out to their So let me tell you what I think Magical really means… waiting taxis to be played out by The Royal British Magical is the feeling, the excitement, the gasps, the Legion Band and Corps of Drums Romford. Magical is a WOW’s, the smiles, the laughter, the giggles not forgetting the glitter and of course being spoilt! It’s the brass band performing especially for you! wonder, the amazement, the joy, the cuddles, the love, It is the unbelievable site of a 100 Licensed London the sharing, the anticipation, the emotion, the honour, Black (or if you’re very lucky… pink!) taxi convoy, the privilege, the pride, the generosity, it’s what transporting up to 200 children suffering from a range dreams are made of, the surprise... and being surprised of chronic debilitating illnesses and life limiting some more! conditions to give them a break from therapy and It is from the moment you meet your family at 5am in the morning, to the sheer amazement of the BIG BREAKFAST at Canary Wharf, hosted by the City of London Mayor, soldiers from Transport Squadron Royal Logistic Corps and Squadron Troops, where a breakfast feast is provided to ensure there are no hungry
treatment. It is the police escort stopping traffic at every single junction between London and Paris bar none! It is the professionalism yet fun spirit and enthusiasm of how this most important task is carried out by the City of London Police Escorts and French Gendarmerie Nationale; who work in Partnership to
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Feature
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 35
ensure everyone’s safety along whole the route. They do a fantastic job! It is being made to feel like royalty the whole way there and back!
hospitals just for a while.
It is the reassurance in knowing that ambulances are on hand as some children leave the security of hospital Magical is watching the convoy of London Taxis, for the first time in a long while. Knowing there are London NHS Trust Ambulances, Police vehicles, AA medics available travelling alongside you should breakdown trucks and support vehicles all board a P&O anyone need emergency assistance. The peace of ferry to cross the channel, completely taking over at mind… that’s more than magical, that’s priceless! And least one of the decks; a ferry crossing which is the first It is about respite for the parents, being able to switch time on a boat for some of the children! off, relax and reflect on how far on the journey of Magical is the deafening sounding of horns and sirens recovery they have come! What a rock they have been in coping with an illness that was thrust upon them at every opportunity along the way ensuring that uninvited and turning their whole world upside down! nobody can miss the convoy! The interaction and It is a chance for the children to have some normality laughter when people wave or bib back when they back in their lives but in an epic way! realise they are witnessing something very special! As if all of this wasn’t enough, it is then attending a It is the most amazing Disney welcome party at Gala dinner and dance where Mickey Mouse, Minnie Assevilliers, the French service station… like nothing Mouse, Goofy and Pluto are special guests just for you have seen before! All this and we haven’t even you… now that’s Magical! It is dancing to the music all arrived yet!! It is the pack lunches and pastry treats and meal vouchers and spending money… every single night like you’ve never partied before and being lost in the sheer spectacle of the whole weekend! It’s oops thing being thought of and provided making sure upside your head and YMCA and I’ve had the time of nobody goes without or wants for anything for the my life all rolled into one… oh did I mention the Mickey entire weekend! Mouse glitter ears and face painting? Magical is arriving at the Disney ranch accommodation after a very long day and still bursting with excitement Off to bed and another fun packed breakfast before the chance to test the lights and sirens on the police at your Woody themed bedroom and vast buffet laid bikes, cars and ambulances before we begin the on for dinner! Magical is planning a midnight feast when you are 5 years old because you don’t want the convoy home! Time to squeeze in one last trip to the Disney Store? day to end, when the parent knows the minute their head hits the pillow they will be asleep in seconds! … And then the real Magic begins! The magical feeling of watching the children’s faces light up as they arrive at the Disneyland theme park the next day and see all the Disney characters close up! It is the breath-taking parade and fast track passes to all the exciting rides and experiences you are immersed into! Being able to lose yourself in the wonder of Disney and forget about treatment and
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Feature The most important thing that struck me was that Magical is the chance to stop and pause, make some unforgettable family memories, the chance for siblings to share in some fun too; so often they have to be very patient when the poorly one takes priority for obvious reasons. It is for families to take a deep breath and to gain the strength to feel ready to face the remaining path of the recovery road ahead together! Memories and friendships that will last a lifetime! The charity set up by the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers has provided 26 years of Magic! They organise this annual 3 day trip of a lifetime for families who would not be able to undertake a trip of this nature alone; it is the medical support provided on the trip that enables them to do so.
This eye catching convoy can reach over three miles long and is only possible because of the support from the wonderful organising committee, volunteers and support networks, but
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 36 crucially the sponsors, who generously donate towards the £1,400 per taxi necessary to meet the expenses of hotel, fuel, food, admission charges etc. The taxi drivers naturally give freely of their time and use of their vehicles. The harsh reality is that tragically some of these youngsters have lost their fight over the years and since passed away, but how comforting to know their families have shared this magical experience to treasure. The Magical Taxi Tour does mean something special and exciting for sure, but I think you’ll agree this description doesn’t even come close… we all know it means so very much more! For more information or to make a donation towards next year’s tour, please visit www.magicaltaxitour.com and help spread the word about this fabulous charity.
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London
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 37
Taxi firm Sherbet London shortlisted for prestigious Sunday Times Fast Track Companies listing Sherbet London has been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Fast Track Companies listing which recognises innovative growing companies across all industry sectors.
The league tables are set to be published on 1 December 2019.
Sherbet London announced in August the purchase of 125 new electric taxis from the London Electric Vehicle The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 league Company (LEVC). The first 50 cabs, all manufactured in table ranks Britain’s 100 private companies with the the UK were delivered earlier in August, with the fastest-growing sales over their latest three years. It is remaining 75 entering the service over September and compiled by Fast Track and published in The Sunday October. This takes the size of Sherbet’s fleet up to 225 Times each December, with an awards event the taxis, and takes them closer towards their aim of following May, and alumni dinners during the year. expanding their fleet to over 1,000 vehicles.
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Feature
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 38
It’s the old cliché no pain, no gain. Part Three: TaxiPoint’s Michael Murphy tells us about his journey to his Green Badge That morning I walked out of the Public Carriage Office on Penton Street, I knew my approach to The Knowledge had to change. I could no longer just go through the motions; I could no longer just sit and hope. It was time for me to take the whole process very, very seriously; after all, there wouldn’t be such a huge dropout rate if it was going to be easy. The first thing I had to get in place was a call over partner - someone to work with on routes, testing one another in a similar format as the examiners would.
another, so I would always go over there.
It took a while to get to grips with seeing even the shortest of lines to call when we were testing one another. But eventually with hard work and focus, we both started becoming more and more confident and the calls were rolling off our tongues. My next appearance, although I never managed to score, went much better and I left with my chin up because I knew I had made progress. Well let’s face it, I couldn’t have got any worse.
A couple more had passed, and I had started picking up I spoke to a friend of the family who had recently scores. C’s, but nevertheless a score was a score. Dan passed and received his Green Badge, he hooked me up was starting to pull himself back too with some scores with his old call over partner who was also struggling and then tragedy struck. with getting things to stick. Whilst at my day job unloading a lorry, my partner phoned me and hit me with the devastating news that Dan had died. At the age of around 30, Dan passed away tragically one evening while sitting on his sofa. Sudden death which left so many people heartbroken. RIP Dan.
His name was Dan, he lived ten minutes from me and had recently been redlined. This meant he had failed to accumulate enough points to move on to the next stage in time, instead losing all and being pushed back to the start again.
I was unable to focus for a while and my next appearance arrived. I had Mr Hall, a nice calm examiner, probably my favourite if I’m honest.
During the exam, he could tell something wasn’t quite right, I was making such progress previously that my performance clearly showed my mind wasn’t focused. He stopped the appearance and asked if I needed to I would now study every single evening after work. Dan talk about something - I did. I needed to talk about Dan. had a small room which we could use to test one
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Feature
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 39
Mr Hall listened and then asked if I would like to continue with the appearance. I composed myself and carried on, managing to score another C. My score was now 9, with one appearance left. It all came down to the one exam; score and I get moved onto the next stage, fail and I would get redlined back to the beginning.
to fail. I was getting this final score I needed. I finished calling my final run, took a deep breath and looked Mr Hall in the eyes, thinking “fail me, I dare you!” He stood to his feet, reached forward with his hand and said: “Congratulations Mr Murphy, you have completed The Knowledge of London.”
Sitting again in the waiting room, palms sweaty, legs like spaghetti, the nerves were clear to see. Who was going to be my examiner? Please not Mr Swire... please!
Ma’am Sadler popped her head round and called “Mr Murphy”. This was it, all or nothing. 15 minutes of “leave on the left” - “set down on the right” - “comply this, comply that” - I gave it everything I had. Did I pass? Did I fail? Was it all for nothing? Did the hard work pay off? The short answer was NO!
I had done it. Four and a half years of nonstop hard work had paid off. I was now one of the elite taxi drivers in the world. Of course, I still had to complete the suburban runs but that was a walk in the park compared to what had already been achieved.
The rollercoaster had just taken a fast dip into the darkest of caves. All those points I had clawed back were taken from me as quick as a gambler losing all their winnings with one spin of the roulette wheel. That’s the reality of The Knowledge, you will only pass when you’re... completely knowledgeable.
I guess what I had learned from my whole journey was that nothing in life comes easy. If you want something bad enough, then you need to work at it. On the other hand, life is short and can be taken from you at any moment.
With a new call over partner and a desire never to give up, my journey started to pick up speed. The Public Carriage Office had now moved to the Palestra Building, It’s the old cliché - no pain, no gain. Blackfriars and I was on a roll. Good luck to everyone From here on out I only failed to score on one currently trying to pass The appearance, which was on 28’s. I was in the zone and Knowledge test, and well everything had finally clicked. I was relentless with my done to all those who stuck studying. Every single day. No social life, no TV, just a it out and no doubt have goal. their own story they could That final appearance finally came around. Who was it? tell of their unique journey. Mr Hall. Here we were again. But this time I was confident, focused and was not in a million years going
Michael Murphy Find TaxiPoint on social media
Driverless
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 40
Driverless cars appear at exhibition to show they can operate safely in London
Image: DRIVEN
A fleet of driverless cars have appeared at a London exhibition to show they can operate safely in the capital.
include Oxbotica, Oxford Robotics Institute, Axa XL, Nominet, Telefonica, TRL, RACE, Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and Transport for London (TfL).
The DRIVEN consortium, which is into its 30-month as a government-supported project, demonstrated the capabilities in the capital’s Olympic Park.
The project is adhering fully to the Department for Transport’s Code of Practice and Transport for London’s (TfL) recently published London-specific guidance for Connected and Autonomous Trials.
The jointly-funded £13.6m programme gave a weeklong demonstration around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford to show how autonomous vehicle (AV) technology might act in every-day conditions.
Minister of State at the Department for Transport, George Freeman MP, said: “Self-driving technology has the scope to revolutionise the way people travel, with potentially profound benefits for road safety, DRIVEN say they have taken a comprehensive approach to addressing the accessibility and convenience. We want to drive the roll-out of self-driving vehicles and continue to support challenges facing self-driving vehicles in innovators developing this ground-breaking the cities of London and Oxford, going technology. The success of trials like project DRIVEN beyond the technical obstacles and underpin our Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy, examining the entire autonomous vehicle highlighting our ongoing support for innovation, ‘ecosystem’. research and the trialling of exciting new technology It combines a wide range of technical experts in areas which cements our position as a global leader in this such as local authority planning, insurance, cyberspace.” security and data trading. The coalition of experts
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Enforcement
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 41
Image: Liverpool City Council
Massive 1,800 tickets issued for parking on Liverpool taxi ranks in less than two years Liverpool Council have issued in excess of 1,800 parking fines to vehicles that have blocked taxi ranks in less than two years.
Merseyside Police and LCC Parking Services also support initiatives to clamp down on motorists parked on taxi ranks and also issue tickets.
Licensing Officers from Liverpool City Council (LCC) issued a whopping 1,178 in 2018, and the figure currently stands at 663 for 2019.
LCC officials ticketed multiple vehicles during an operation on Friday 27 September, ticketing a total of 47 cars in just one evening. Vehicles parked on the active taxi ranks stop taxis plying for hire in busy areas and during peak times like Friday and Saturday nights. The motorists parking on the taxi ranks in Liverpool must now fork out ÂŁ70 for the misdemeanour, with all fines payable within 28 days of the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) being issued. However, if motorists pay within 14 days the council will reduce the fine by 50% to ÂŁ35 respectively.
Image: Liverpool City Council
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London
October 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 42
Taxi driver Richardson becomes new super welterweight Southern Area champion London cabbie Dean Richardson became the new super welterweight Southern Area champion with a two round destruction of Nathan Graham at York Hall on 28 September. Richardson, now 11-0 with 8 knockouts, finished the fight with a single right hook at close range early into the second round. The first round was cagey, with both fighters feeling their way into the fight, but a few bursts of combinations from Dean edged him the round. Both fighters came out for the second and the London cabbie took the centre of the ring. Graham lunged in with a right hand to the body and as he wound up for an uppercut, Richardson landed his own
right hook. Graham hit the canvas, but managed to get to his feet at the count of six. His legs were unsteady and as he wobbled backwards towards the ropes, the referee waved it off 27 seconds into the round. It was the 24-year-old’s first title as a professional and with the English belt being contested for on the same night, Richardson hopes to defend his Southern Area title or have his own crack at the English early next year.
Charity
May 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 20
Charity
May 2019 | www.taxi-point.co.uk | 20