National Taxi Association

Donald Budge is upset the taxi firm refused to let him in one of its cars with his dead dog, Puppy.

PENSIONER says he was left heartbroken when a taxi firm refused to take him to bury his dog.

Donald Budge says A1 Ace Taxi Services wouldn’t let him and his dog, Puppy, which had just been put down by a vet, in one of its cars.

Mr Budge, 69, of Creechbarrow Road in Taunton, was trying to take the little Jack Russell to his daughter’s house at West Buckland to bury her.

He said: “I can’t believe what happened – it’s not right. She was only a little dog and she was wrapped up. The whole thing broke my heart.

“It’s the worst thing in the world losing a pet, and this made it worse.”

Mr Budge claims the driver turned up at his house and refused to take him to his daughter’s home, leaving him to rely on a favour from a friend later in the evening.

“The driver turned up and said ‘I’m not taking that,’” Mr Budge said.

“They ought to be ashamed of themselves with some of the people they take in their cars.

“They pick up drunken people and all sorts, but won’t take me and my dog.

“I got there in the end. My friend had to drop me off, but it was about 1½ hours later, and he couldn’t believe it either.”

Mike Davis, a director at A1 Ace Taxi Services, said the driver was within his rights to refuse the fare.

He said: “Under Hackney Carriage conditions we’re not obliged to take animals alive or dead.

“We rely on customers telling us if they have pets, and Mr Budge did not inform us on the phone.

“The next job could have been to a supermarket and we have to consider whether this would have been reasonable.

“We have to consider other customers, which is what we did in this case.”

source: http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/

A CHELMSFORD taxi driver who claims he was reversed into by a fellow cabbie over a territory dispute is furious after police chose not to prosecute.

Driver Arron Grattin caught the Maldon-registered taxi picking up a group of revellers from Duke Street, Chelmsford, in the early hours of May 5, despite it being unlicensed to work in the area.

Arron is still on crutches after being run over by a Maldon taxi driver.

As both cars dropped off the large group of passengers on Bank Street, Braintree, at 2am he decided to confront the man in his cab.

“As soon as I dropped my group off I saw the other car drop his passengers round the corner,” explained Arron, 22, from Braintree. “I went over to him and asked why he was taking fares from Chelmsford when he is not allowed.

“He got annoyed and wanted to drive off, so he reversed his car and hit me three times.

“Now I’m on crutches and I can’t really work because the impact has damaged the nerves in my knee.”

The injured 22-year-old then says he waited 90 minutes for police after reporting the incident, but claims no officers arrived.

“I called back after an hour and they said they were really sorry but there was nothing they could do,” added Arron, who pays £400 per year for his taxi licence.

“I was not going to wait any longer for an ambulance so I tried to get into my cab and drive, but I had to stop and order one because it was too painful.

“When I got to the hospital they said to rest it out as long as possible, it has affected my livelihood.”

He is outraged that police have dealt with the matter through neighbourhood or community resolution, an approach where the officer decides if criminals and their victims can agree to resolve an offence without the need for a prosecution.

From May 2010 to June last year, Essex Police dealt with 6,386 crimes using Neighbourhood Resolution.

Many of the crimes relate to common assault, shoplifting and criminal damage. However, more serious offences such as blackmail, grievous bodily harm and death threats have also been dealt with in this way.

“I don’t think that is the best message to send to other people – that you can get away with something as terrible as that if it is your first offence.

“I thought this incident would have been more than enough, but what needs to happen? Does someone need to be killed? It shouldn’t have to get that far.”

Arron, who has been a cabbie for just a year has now arranged a meeting with staff at Chelmsford City Council to discuss how they can do more to assist fellow taxi drivers.

“We want people to realise that if you are licensed in Maldon you do not come to Chelmsford and start nicking our work because your area is not doing so well.

“People who have been doing this job in Chelmsford tell me it has always been the same; it is a free-for-all,” he added.

A police spokesman said: “Police investigated a collision in Bank Street, Braintree, between a car and a pedestrian.

“The incident occurred between 3am and 3.10am on May 5 where a 22-year-old suffered injuries to his leg.

“A 35-year-old driver from Maldon was dealt with by community resolution.”

source: http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/

TAXI bosses have defended a planned rise in fares after council chiefs revealed proposals to increase prices.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s licensing committee has approved a request from the town’s hackney carriage trade for an increase of 20p on all journeys.

Only hackney carriages, which in Hartlepool are yellow and can be flagged down or be found at designated ranks, will be affected by the change, and private hire vehicles, which must be pre-booked, will continue on their current tariffs.

The council says the planned move follows a request from the taxi trade, with companies saying there has not been a general rise in fares since 2008 and that even with a 20p rise Hartlepool would remain the third cheapest taxi fares in the country.

Kevin Egan, fleet manager of Streamline taxis, which has 80 hackney carriages, said: “This basically means there is going to be 20p extra on a journey – when the driver puts the meter on at the moment, it starts at £2, but it’s going to be £2.20.

“It’s the same measured mile – there is no extra money per mile.”

He said rises in petrol and diesel prices, repairs and servicing costs were among the reasons for the increase and added: “I think it’s fair, the customer is still getting a good deal, when you start taking the costs of fares in towns like Middlesbrough, Stockton and Newcastle into consideration – all those have higher fares, I think some of them are £2.80 as soon as you get in.”

Self-employed hackney carriage owner/driver Stephen Picton said: “The price of our insurance is going through the roof and we’ve also got the price of fuel going up and down, so it’s justified.

“Our net profits are going down and we are not taking that much home.

“I think 20p isn’t a massive increase, and I don’t think too many people will feel it.

“Everything else has gone up but our taxi fares.”

Ian Harrison, the council’s principal Trading Standards and licensing officer, said: “No-one likes price increases but the council must reflect a balance between allowing licensed taxi drivers to generate a reasonable level of income whilst recognising the pressures on household budgets.

“Taxi drivers provide a valuable service to the town and with Hartlepool remaining the third cheapest in the country, they continue to represent good value for money.”

The proposed increase will be advertised and if there are no objections it will take effect on June 11.

Hackney carriages are required to use a meter to calculate the fare for all journeys in Hartlepool and the level of fare is set by the council.

source: http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/

A PRIVATE hire driver who was suspended from driving has had his appeal thrown out of court.

John Marland, aged 43, of Mill Lane, Leigh, appeared at Wigan Magistrates Court to appeal a decision made in February temporarily banning him from driving a private hire vehicle for two months.

The ban was imposed after Mr Marland failed to tell Wigan Council about previous motoring offences.

After hearing the evidence on May 2, the court upheld the committee’s decision, saying it was satisfied the council had carried out its duties and given sufficient warning.

As a result, Mr Marland will have to pay the council’s £200 costs and the original ban will remain.

Julie Middlehurst, trading standards and licensing manager for Wigan Council, said: “A condition of the private hire drivers’ licence is that they must notify us of any conviction, formal caution or fixed penalty notice within seven days.

“This allows us to consider the seriousness of the offence and to decide whether the matter should be referred to the committee. “On this occasion the driver had received two warning letters relating to incidents in 2009 and 2010, and yet failed on a third occasion to make us aware of his conviction in 2012.”

Clr Paul Prescott, executive chairman of the regulation committee, said: “It is important that we are satisfied our drivers are fit to hold a licence and to enable us to do this, we need to be aware of any convictions that they receive.

“The decision to suspend somebody’s licence is not taken lightly, but we need to be confident that our drivers are suitable. “I’d like to remind all drivers of the condition on their licence.”

source: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/

MOVE WELCOMED … Paul Pearce, chairman of South Tyneside Hackney Carriage Association.

HIKE in the number of Hackney carriage drivers on South Tyneside roads has been ruled out.

Council bosses recently carried out a survey, questioning more than 600 drivers, customers and local firms, which revealed people in the borough believe they get a high level of service from the existing licensed taxi fleet.

The vast majority of customers – 70 per cent – also said they booked a taxi over the telephone, with just over three per cent picking one up from ranks and one per cent flagging down a cab.

As a result of the findings, members of next week’s South Tyneside Council licensing and regulatory committee will be recommended to continue to restrict the number of Hackney carriage drivers – those taxis that can be hailed or hired from a rank.

That number should be retained at the current level of 239, councillors will be recommended to agree.

A report to the committee, from David Cramond, the council’s corporate director for economic regeneration, said: “Hackney carriages can be flagged down on the public highway or hired at taxi ranks.

“Private vehicles must be pre-booked.

“In essence, the council can only refuse to grant a Hackney carriage licence where it is satisfied there is already a significant number operating within the borough.

“South Tyneside has chosen to operate a restricted system since 1987, with an upper limit now set at 239.

“The results of the survey confirm there is no unmet demand for Hackney carriages within South Tyneside and that taxi usage has steadily declined over the years.”

The report has been generally welcomed by Paul Pearce, chairman of South Tyneside Hackney Carriage Association.

But he has expressed concern over the potential impact of new government equality legislation, which could require as many as 35 per cent of borough vehicles to be wheelchair accessible.

In South Tyneside, 11 per cent – 24 vehicles – meet that criteria.

A report to the committee says the current level of wheelchair accessible vehicles is “sufficient to meet the current need”.

Now, in a bid to address the legislation, it is planned that all borough Hackney carriage licences returned should be re-allocated to a vehicle with wheelchair access or adaptations for passengers requiring other access needs.

The latest moves come soon after the borough’s Hackney Carriage Association was allowed to raise its price tariffs.

That led to the cost of a of a three-mile journey rising from £6 to £7, and a one-mile journey going up from £3 to £3.40.

The committee is to meet on Friday, May 31, from 10am.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.

source: http://www.shieldsgazette.com/