National Taxi Association

A drunken man who tried to rob a Great Yarmouth taxi driver at knifepoint and slashed him in the arm during a struggle is today starting an eight-year jail term.

Scott Chesney, 31, threatened taxi driver George Brown after getting into his cab at Britannia Pier – and was caught because he returned to the scene of the crime to look for his lost watch.

Norwich Crown Court heard that when he reached his destination and Mr Brown asked for his fare, Chesney held a knife into the back of his seat and demanded that he hand 
over his money.

Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said that when Mr Brown refused and got out of the car, Chesney confronted him and was making swiping and jabbing movements with what must have been a knife.

She said Mr Brown was scared at what was happening and when he tried to fend off Chesney he got a 
cut on his arm which required stitches.

During the struggle Mr Brown shouted out to passers-by to call the police and Chesney ran off. But he dropped his watch at the scene and when he returned in a car to find it his registration number was taken and he was later arrested.

The court heard that the attempted robbery had a significant impact on Mr Brown and his family. He had a number of stitches in his arm and the wound went septic. He also felt low and depressed about what happened.

Chesney, of Nelson Road Central, Great Yarmouth, admitted attempted robbery on September 10 this year.

Jailing him for eight years, Judge Martin Binning told him that he had robbed a vulnerable taxi driver: “It’s changed his life and left him feeling very low. He has suffered and is still suffering long-term.”

Richard Potts, for Chesney, said that he very much regretted what he had done: “He really can’t believe he has done this.”

He said that Chesney had expressed a wish to meet his victim and apologise in person: “This offence was completely out of character.”

source: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/

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A TAXI driver has told of his “nightmare” at the hands of a gang of robbers.

The DG Cars driver was on his way to pick up a customer from Carrington when his ordeal began.

“There was a group of around eight to 10 guys throwing snowballs in the middle of the street in Villa Road. I had to stop the car so they could go either side of me.

“Suddenly they were coming from the side and opening both my front doors. One snowball hit me in the face. I removed the snow but then I received three punches on the right-hand side of my face and then more to the left-hand side. ”I was sitting on the chair with my seatbelt on, so I crouched down and put my hands up to cover my face. They then started hitting me on my head.”

The 50-year-old driver, from Sneinton, who does not wish to be named, said his attackers demanded money and took some from his pocket. One of them also grabbed his sat-nav.

He added: “I thought my nightmare was over but they kept coming at me.

“I can’t recall how many punches I had to my head. It was probably 20 to 30.”

After his attackers finally ran off towards Cranmer Street, a number of passersby and a local resident came to the driver’s aid.

He was taken by ambulance to Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre where he underwent a number of X-rays and tests which showed tissue damage under his right eye.

The driver, who only started working for DG Cars last month, said of his attackers: “They are criminals. There’s no other way to describe them.

“If they had any weapon maybe I would not be here right now.”

The driver describes the robbers, who targeted him at around 6.30pm last Saturday, as black men aged 15 to 22. They were dressed in jumpers and tracksuits. A number had hoods up and others were wearing caps.

Police are continuing to investigate a second robbery last weekend where another DG Cars driver was stabbed in both legs.

The 30-year-old man was driving along Furze Gardens, St Ann’s, Nottingham, just after 11.20am on Sunday when he stopped his car and was attacked by several men who then escaped with cash.

The driver was taken to hospital but has since been released.

Anyone with information on either robbery should call Notts Police on 0300 300 9999.

source: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/

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Two taxi drivers have had their licences suspended for consistently parking in bus stops and obstructing other road users.

Torbay Council’s licensing committee decided Imran Nasim should have his licence revoked for seven days starting on New Year’s Day while Kenneth Brooks’ licence will be suspended for three days.

The two Hackney carriage taxi drivers were banned from operating a cab after being spotted using a taxi rank in the Strand, Torquay, and parking on double yellow lines which caused traffic obstruction.

Members of the licensing sub-committee heard that Mr Nasim had received warning letters from traffic officers on several occasions.

Mr Nasim also had his licence endorsed by police for dropping off a fare on a zebra crossing in November.

He told the meeting he had parked on the GPO roundabout last month while waiting for a fare.

He told members that many taxi drivers did the same thing.

He told the committee: “I didn’t want to use the rank because a lot of drivers think we are trying to take from them.”

“I was waiting for a fare. I didn’t think anything of it.”

About parking on double yellow lines on the Strand, he said he was stuck behind a car which was not moving and did not have time to move before he was photographed by council officials.

Councillors told him there had been an issue of public safety and traffic obstruction which was aggravated by his receiving three points for dropping off a fare on a zebra crossing.
After the hearing Mr Nasim said: “It could have been worse. I could have lost my licence for good.”

“A fine would be better because I’m going to lose a week’s wages. But there is nothing much I can do but comply with their decision.”

Mr Brooks was also seen using the bus stop on the Strand and on October 22.

He was also spotted on another occasion hanging out of the back of the Vaughan Parade on to the highway for three minutes and obstructing the flow of traffic.

He had his licence suspended for three days rather than seven.

Source; http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/Licences-suspended-parking-bus-stops/article-2991095-detail/article.html

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THE number of black cabs in Basingstoke is set to rise after the borough council scrapped its current limit – against the wishes of local taxi drivers.

The licensing committee at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council went against the wishes of taxi drivers in the Basingstoke Hackney Carriage Federation, who said they were not satisfied with the quality of a £12,000 survey into demand.

Consultant firm Halcow carried out the survey during the summer, monitoring taxi ranks and questioning residents.

Liz Richardson, from Halcrow, told the meeting there was “significant unmet demand” for black cabs in Basingstoke that would be satisfied if the number of cabs rose from the current 55 to 63.

But around 20 members of the federation turned up at the meeting to voice their unease about the survey, and the effects of more competition on their livelihoods.

Melvyn Leaman, chairman of the federation, said the people who carried out the survey were “students who had come straight from university with absolutely no training”.

Other drivers said they had seen Halcrow staff listening to iPods and reading books while carrying out the survey.

Miss Richardson said: “We have been doing this for a long time. We are aware of the robustness we need of our data and we quality check data that comes in.”

Licensing officers had recommended scrapping the limit entirely, in line with other councils and Government best practice.

But Councillor Stuart Parker, Liberal Democrat ward member for Eastrop, said: “This is not the time to be thinning out the customer base for the members of an organisation that has served the borough very, very well.”

Buckskin Conservative ward member Cllr Robert Taylor said it was “fair and right” to remove a limit on black cabs, but said he was “very disappointed” with Halcrow’s survey.

The committee voted in favour of scrapping the limit by eight votes to three. It also approved a 20p fare increase for the first mile.

source: http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/

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A COUNCIL’S decision to stop taxi drivers from operating under a zonal scheme has been met with anger amongst those in the trade.

Councillors at a North Herts District Council meeting held last night (Tuesday) have approved a new taxi licensing policy which will mean from next month all drivers of hackney carriage vehicles will no longer have licenses issued in zones - Baldock, Hitchin, Knebworth, Lecthworth GC and Royston.

Instead, licenses will apply throughout the district.

Over 20 people from the industry attended the meeting, with statements read out from three taxi firms asking councillors to reconsider many of the recommendations.

The owner of Tiny Taxis in Hitchin, Melvyn Day, was one of those to speak at the meeting and spoke to The Comet following the decision.

Mr Day, who has been involved in the trade for over 40 years, said: “I have been a very active member of the trade but for whatever reason there was a very poor response.

“I pleaded with them (NHDC) for it to be referred back and they said no. We made over 50 alterations and only 14 were approved.

“We now may experience a bit of discontent and arguments between Hitchin and Letchworth companies competing against one another.

“It’s not just the de-zoning though, it’s all the others too. They’ve put it through on the advice of council officers and not those who work in the trade.”

NHDC did consult on several occasions with the Taxi Forum - made up of taxi firms and drivers in the district - but admitted the number of responses had been low.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Cllr David Barnard said: “The public can’t understand why a cab can’t pick it up from outside their zone so it makes sense.”

The new policy, which follows the Government’s Best Practice Guidance, will take effect from January 7 of next year, for a maximum period of five years.

source: http://www.thecomet.net/news/

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TAXI drivers fighting moves to impose an all-white colour scheme on a county’s fleet are threatening legal action.

Adrian Fets, chairman of Durham Independent Taxi Association, said he was looking at seeking a judicial review, after councillors supported the proposals on Monday.

Members of Durham County Council’s licensing committee also recommended creating a deregulated, single hackney carriage zone, allowing unlimited numbers of vehicles to operate anywhere across the county.

Final decisions will be taken early next year.

Taxi drivers say a single colour policy would be costly and undeliverable; and a countywide zone would cause chaos in busy areas, such as Durham city centre.

Mr Fets said: “There’s no consideration for the trade, no consideration for the travelling public and certainly no consideration for the people of Durham.

“It’s going to be absolutely swamped with cars. It’s a World Heritage Site and you’re not going to be able to move. It’s going to be a circus.”

Mr Fets, owner of STL Cabs, previously led a year-long battle against proposals for an all-white fleet, which ended in success in 2005 when the nowdefunct Durham City Council dropped the scheme and had to pay thousands of pounds in legal costs.

He said the recession had hit taxi firms hard, with pubs and clubs opening fewer nights each week.

Yet, the number of hackney carriages in Durham City has increased from 64 to 74, all competing for eight rank spaces in North Road.

Mr Fets said if a countywide zone was introduced, there could be 1,006 vehicles fighting over the same turf.

Joanne Waller, the county council’s head of environment, health and consumer protection, said: “The licensing committee has been presented with a report following a comprehensive consultation exercise concerning proposals for the regulation of taxis.

“The recommendations of the licensing committee will be heard by cabinet and considered by full council in March, before a final decision is taken.”

The committee recommended an all-white policy for hackney carriages be introduced over five years and, following the introduction of a deregulated, single zone, a countywide demand survey be launched with a view to further regulation. All-white colour policies for hackney carriages are already in force in Chester-le-Street and Wear Valley, having been introduced by the previous district councils. No colour policies exist in other districts.

source: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/durham/

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FRAUD ACT 2006 - “doing a runner”:

Making off without payment, or bilking, is now caught by the Fraud Act 2006 Sections 2 and 11 are relevant, however, charges are most easily laid under section 11:

Section 11 “Obtaining services dishonestly”

This reads as follows:

(1) A person is guilty of an offence under this section if he obtains services for himself or another—

(a) by a dishonest act, and

(b) in breach of subsection (2).

(2) A person obtains services in breach of this subsection if—

(a) they are made available on the basis that payment has been, is being or will be made for or in respect of them,

(b) he obtains them without any payment having been made for or in respect of them or without payment having been made in full, and

(c) when he obtains them, he knows—

1. that they are being made available on the basis described in paragraph (a), or
2. that they might be, but intends that payment will not be made, or will not be made in full.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or to both);

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine (or to both).

(4) Subsection (3)(a) applies in relation to Northern Ireland as if the reference to 12months were a reference to 6 months.

CPS guidelines on the above:

The elements of the offence are that the Defendant:

• obtains for himself or another
• services
• dishonestly
• knowing the services are made available on the basis that payment has been, is being or will be made for or in respect of them or that they might be and
• avoids or intends to avoid payment in full or in part.

This offence replaces obtaining services by deception in the Theft Act 1978 which is partly repealed by the Act.

In many cases, the Defendant will also have committed an offence under Section 2 of the Act (Fraud by making a false representation - that payment will be made or made in full). Prosecutors must decide which offence better reflects the criminality involved. The maximum sentence for the Section 11 offence is five years imprisonment.

a) “Obtains for himself or another”:

Section 11 differs from the offences under the Theft Act in that it requires the actual obtaining of a service (by a dishonest act e. g. non payment).

It is not possible to commit the offence by omission of the service alone. This avoids the situation where unscrupulous service providers might feel able to pressure anyone who had been given services they had not requested.

b) “Services”

Services will have the same definition as in Section 1 of the 1978 Theft Act (Archbold 2007, para. 21-341[1]). The service must be provided on the basis that it will be paid for.

c) “Dishonestly”:

The Ghosh test will apply, see below.

d) “Knowing” :

the services are made available on the basis that payment has been, is being or will be made for or in respect of them or that they might be and

e) “Avoids or intends to avoid payment in full or in part,” see below:

Under the Fraud Act the Defendant must intend to avoid payment for the service provided (in full or in part). He must have that intention at the time he ‘avoids’.
The “Gosh” test of dishonesty:

R v Ghosh, (1982) CA

D a surgeon was filling in as a consultant at a hospital. He pretended that he had himself carried out surgical operations and that money was due to him. The operations had, in fact, been carried out under the NHS by someone else.

Held: In determining whether D was acting dishonestly, the jury had first to decide whether what was done was dishonest. If it was, the jury must then consider whether D himself must have realised that what he was doing was dishonest by the standards of the ordinary reasonable person.

Payment due?:

R v Aziz [1993] Crim LR 708

[Making off without payment - 'the spot' where payment should be made]

D requested a taxi driver to take him to a club 13 miles away. On arrival D refused to pay the £15 fare claiming that the journey was only four miles. The taxi driver at first started to take them back to their hotel, then took them to the police station where he ran out of the taxi.

Held: The Theft Act 1978 did not require payment be made on any particular spot.
‘

On the spot’ related to the knowledge that the customer had as to when payment should be made.

In the case of a taxi, payment may be made whilst sitting in the car or standing at the window but the fares were requested when the customer was still in the car. The obligation to pay continued even when being taken back to the starting point / police station.

‘On the spot’ was not necessarily the final destination of the journey:

Guilty

NOTE The Fraud Act does not repeal s.3 of the Theft Act; it is still available

Actions a driver could take:

• Phone the police.
• You can take the offender to the police station, but you must be aware that you are making a citizen’s arrest.
• You need to be clear on the offence you are arresting for and tell the offender you are taking this action.
• You have the right to arrest as the offence is an “arrestable offence”.
• You can use reasonable force. Broadly that means you can only use force if the offender is resisting, and can only use sufficient force to apprehend. This is complicated and subjective.

If force has to be used you are advised not to do so. You run the risk of injury to yourself and damage to your vehicle. If you injure the passenger you could be charged, you have to account for the force used. As the offence is not a very “serious” one , it is not worth using ‘reasonable force’ better to let the offender go and report the matter.

---

[1] This is the standard practitioners work on crime, available at any decent public library.

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AN UNDERCOVER crackdown on illegal private hire cabs in Birmingham netted drivers willing to risk their livelihood for as little as £5.

Plain-clothes police officers went out on to city centre streets to try to catch private hire drivers breaking the law by taking advantage of unwitting punters desperate to get home after a night out.

The joint operation led by Birmingham City Council taxi enforcement in conjunction with West Midlands Police was aimed at cracking down on drivers who collect passengers from the street rather than being pre-booked over the phone, as outlined in their private hire conditions.

The authorities want to raise awareness of the problem in the run up to Christmas when party-goers are more likely to flag down private hire vehicles – which automatically voids any insurance cover.

Police Constable John Slater – a police traffic officer seconded and paid for by Birmingham City Council – briefed officers ahead of the operation.

He said: “The aim of the operation is to target private hire vehicles that are illegally picking up fares without being booked which is an offence.

“Any insurance becomes null and void.

“We want to get a message across that we are targeting private hire drivers working illegally. We can prosecute and take them to court.

“They are not taxis which are black cabs which can be hailed. They are private hire vehicles – you enter into a contract with the operator and their insurance revolves around that. If the customer doesn’t ring to book, the insurance is not valid.”

After a 30-minute briefing, 20 plain-clothed special officers went out in pairs to various locations in the city centre including Broad Street, New Street station and Five Ways and attempted to get picked up.

If the driver agreed to the fare and began the journey, the officer issued a warrant – and asked them to proceed to a designated stop site before an enforcement officer stepped in to complete a proforma statement and caution the driver, which can lead to prosecution.

They also had to make sure the driver was not able to contact the base to amend any records to show the fare existed.

Within minutes of the operation beginning on Friday night, a driver was asked for a fare in New Street and accepted before the officer revealed their identity. But the driver failed to go to the stop site and enforcement officers were sent to the scene.

Another driver was asked to go from one end of Broad Street to Snobs nightclub and gave a fare price of £5 – he was then stopped and cautioned.

A rookie driver, who had only got his licence months ago was asked by the officers to go to Star City – he was unable to give a price and rang a friend for advice before starting the journey. He, too, was cautioned.

A total of 19 drivers were caught flouting the law during the operation at the weekend and now face prosecution and a six-month licence suspension.

However, more than 30 drivers turned the officers away and said they were booked – as they should.

Enforcement officer Doug Wright said the operation, which was aimed at educating the public as well as sending a message to drivers, said: “We are putting more emphasis on the issue in the run up to Christmas. The majority of private hires work legally, but the priority is to get the ones that are illegal off the roads and get people home safely.”

One enforcement officer said: “They are willing to risk their livelihoods, six months of not working, for as little as £5. They have signed the declaration – it is a condition of their licence – it’s on all the cabs ‘be booked, be insured’.”

Section officer John Harrison added: “This was a great operation.”

Source: http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/12/06/

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A WOMAN who assaulted a taxi driver and caused £400 worth of damage to his cab after drinking three quarters of a vodka bottle has been spared jail.

Shirley Johnstone was told by Torquay magistrates that had she not pleaded guilty she would have been sent to prison.

The court heard how on October 16 this year the 50-year-old from The Avenue in Newton Abbot, took a taxi from Torquay back home.

The driver Grant Beange noticed that she was drunk and had a bottle with her.

Prosecutor Sonia Oldakowska told the court how Johnstone tried to climb on to the front seat and punched and scratched MrBeange in the face and head.

The taxi driver managed to pull over and call the police but Johnstone damaged the taxi causing £395.50 worth of damage.

Mrs Oldakowska said: “The taxi driver was left shocked. In interviews he said the incident made him worried to pick up lone women.

“He said he could handle male fares but females are much worse to handle.

“He has lost about £50 in fares at a busy time.”

Hugh Ogilvie, mitigating, apologised to Mr Beange on behalf of his client, saying she had found it difficult to deal with the death of her son four years ago and suffered with an ongoing alcohol problem.

He added: “She is very regretful about what took place. Alcohol was the main issue. She’s had a problem with it throughout her life.

“She is ashamed about it but can’t really believe she has done it.”

He added: “She is expecting grandchildren shortly. She has a lot of happiness to look forward to.

“The incident happened in a car and it is fortunate a crash didn’t happen but it was very upsetting for the driver. She is seeking help for her alcohol and bereavement problems.”

Magistrates sitting in Torquay told Johnstone her guilty plea at a previous hearing for one charge of criminal damage and another of common assault, had spared her from going to prison.

They said: “This case has caused a good deal of anxiety and concern for the taxi driver who is a public servant whom you attacked when he was doing his duty.”

Johnstone was sentenced to a 12-month community order including 200-hour unpaid work, and was ordered to pay £395.50 in compensation to the driver for the damaged caused and another £200 for his injuries and loss of earnings.

After the hearing Mr Beange said: “I’m flabbergasted. I thought she would be given a £50 fine and a slap on the wrist but she was dealt with quite fairly.”

source: http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/

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The Casey Column

By

Wayne Casey (LL SC SW)

The views expressed in this column may not be those of the National Taxi Association

NTA Conference Sunderland 2010

Well another conference came and went, my thanks go out to all the delegates and sponsors of this years event.

Particular thanks must go to Kenny Porter, who has arranged his last NTA Conference and those in Sunderland’s Taxi Trade that did so much to make the event a success.

Its not very often I criticise food. Okay, that’s a lie, I criticise food all the time. But rumour has it even Bear Grylls, famous for eating the most mind numbingly horrible insects and plants, refused to eat the chicken at the chairman’s dinner. In actual fact, if Bear had attended he could have, with the strong support of the audience, eaten the main act.

So what did the NTA membership decide to do this forthcoming year? Well, my preferred proposal of invading France was soundly beaten (again), so instead members want section 31 of the London Private Hire Act incorporated into the 1976 act. This will cease the increasingly common practice of Private Hire companies describing themselves as taxi companies. Admittedly, this has already happened in certain areas via changes to the conditions of private hire operator’s licenses, but if adopted, it would stop it forthwith.

The NTA membership want the dual hackney carriage and private hire drivers license stopped for reasons explained in this column earlier this year.

The membership were also rather concerned about how section 52 had been used and was open to abuse without guidance from the DFT. If you can cast your minds back 12 months you will remember I did state this horrible bit of anti driver legislation should be repealed completely, but obviously that was defeated, as apparently, and I am by no means convinced, councillors should have the power to immediately suspend, not licensing officers. I digress, the membership want committees to immediately suspend, they also want guidelines from the DFT and they think it’s sensible in cases where drivers are deemed to be a threat to the public, that the police suspend the license as part of bail conditions.

The conference open session saw a video presentation from Norman Baker MP, the minister whose portfolio includes taxis. The DFT for reasons known only to them didn’t attend conference and answer any of the points raised by the minister. The minister’s speech is available on the NTA website.

Steve Savage, Newcastle City Councils head of regulatory services did a rather good presentation which included football and England’s world cup bid. He also did a brief of his view of the recent Stockton case, then took question and answers.

Dai Powell of DPTAC then advised the audience of what DPTAC was, what it does and how it affects the taxi trade. He re-emphasised the view that the lawful way to charge a wheelchair bound passenger was to begin charging once the vehicle starts moving. The disabled shouldn’t be treated differently to the able bodied.

I’m not quite sure how that one works. You see if I take my cab into the garage tomorrow morning, I know and I expect to be charged the moment a mechanic starts to put a seat cover on the vehicle. So quite how anyone expects a cab driver to give his services free of charge when loading and securing a wheelchair is quite beyond myself.

The above aside, if a Hackney Carriage actually carries out its correct function then strictly speaking the vehicle would either work the streets or ranks. Bearing in mind almost all wheelchair hiring’s are made via the phone, one really has to wonder why private hire were let off the hook in the Equality Act, presumably the PH trade have bigger cheque books than us, or am I being cynical?

The Institute of Licensing (IOL) attended their first NTA conference, they told us what they did and what they plan for the future. The lady was a nice lady and I never even got the urge to throw my prepared tomatoes!

Bryan Denby from NALEO addressed delegates giving the view that new legislation is required and answering some, but not all, delegate questions.

Finally GoSkills, through the quite delectable Kate Deane and even more delectable Jackie O’Brien advised delegates of prospective changes to the training situation in respect of cab drivers. (Please note; I did promise not to be nasty about GoSkills). The NTA is to serve on some board or other and it isn’t known whether or not we might have to pay for training because of the state of the countries finances.

Amongst the suggested places for 2011 are Scarborough, Blackpool and obviously my first choice of the ferry from North Shields to Amsterdam.

Smile, you’re on candid camera

Regular readers of this column will know, I have no strong opinions about cameras in licensed vehicles. I think they should be allowed, I think local authorities should draw up rules about them, but I don’t, or didn’t, actually think they should be a mandatory requirement.

This was until recently. You see a driver was arrested, he was apparently charged with touching a teenage female passenger. The passenger story is that she leapt from the cab in fear of her safety, the cab then circled the area as she hid in bushes.

The driver’s story is that it was a simple case of a passenger avoiding payment, hence he circled the area hoping to apprehend the culprit.

Obviously the police will investigate the case and whoever they deem has something to answer will be in court before long.

I don’t know who is telling lies, however, if the cab had a camera in it, the chances are the police would have known, within minute, of the circumstances.

As drivers we are all in vulnerable positions, be it from idiots who don’t want to pay and want to beat the crap out of us, or the guttersnipes who see accusing a cab driver of some offence that will forever sully his good name as a way of avoiding payment.

The camera shouldn’t be viewed as an additional expense but more of an essential piece of kit, just as essential as your airbags.

Own Worst enemies

I seem to write it every so often, so here we go again.

The taxi trade is its own worst enemy. There is little want or desire for national bodies, or even local associations, it’s only when the sh*t hits the fan people even consider joining.

I was recently invited to a local association AGM; I had assisted the local association a number of times during the year. The committee of the association are strong supporters of the NTA, having sent delegates to virtually every conference since the mid 1980’s. Yet even in this association they have a proportion of members who question the need for a national body. I don’t disagree entirely with the ditherer’s amongst them.

National bodies cannot be aloof of their membership, they must keep members informed and be available to give advice and assistance where required.

Amongst the things I told the AGM was the need, especially now, of local associations and national bodies. Local government is going to cut budgets, yes I realise licensing should be set aside from cuts and be self financing, yet there are numerous examples of cuts being made in licensing, most notably through staffing levels. Nationally we are faced with the prospect of driver training, the implications of the equality bill, and arguably a DFT that isn’t actually in touch with the cab trade.

Yet the people I met at the AGM are the good ones. The bad ones are those that didn’t attend, don’t join or create associations, and allow their licensing departments to run roughshod over them. They only feel like getting organised when the noose is firmly around the neck of their trade and they have little other option but to seek help from the outside.

Of course by the time these poor folks realise they need help, the genie is out of the bottle, and as you know, the problem with genies is putting the b*stards back.

Individual membership of the NTA costs 10p per day, to be honest, you lose that down the back of your drivers seat every shift. If your part of a local association membership costs even less…..about 5p per day. Is 5p per day too much?

www.national-taxi-association.co.uk

For Sale

The editor has kindly allowed me to plug the sale of a Fantastic TX4, it has too many extras to list and is absolutely immaculate, for further details contact Paul Casey on 07809 707535;

It’s that time of the year again

Okay people, I know we’re in the midst of a recession but the chances are during the course of the next month or so, you’re going to be quite busy. I will therefore give you a little advice direct from the NTA website.

As a taxi driver you are dealing with strangers, often in isolated places and carrying cash. Taking people off the streets or from ranks with no knowledge of their home address or telephone number means that if they cause trouble you are especially vulnerable. If you work at night you are likely to have to deal with people who have drunk too much alcohol. All this means you may be at risk of violence..

Cash management

If you can, drop off cash during your shift so that you carry as little in your car as you can. If you can’t, keep your cash hidden from view in a secure box.

Adjustments to your vehicle

Some drivers of saloon cars fit their car with a screen to protect them from assault. Screens are made from materials that withstand a knife attack or hard body impact, and can be fitted and taken out easily.

Installing CCTV cameras has been shown to lead to reduced threats and violence against drivers. Signs in the vehicle can highlight the presence of CCTV to passengers. Cameras can be bought or rented, and the cost may be offset by reduced insurance premiums. They can be useful when there is a dispute with a passenger – it is not just your word against theirs.

Fitting a convex mirror that gives you a full view of the rear of your car will help you to see what a passenger directly behind you is doing.

Carry with you

A spare key, in case an assailant throws your keys away.

A mobile phone.

A note pad and pen to record incidents.

An emergency card with your name, date of birth, blood group, allergies and a contact number for emergencies.

An explanation of the fare structure, so that you can explain it to a passenger who feels that you are over-charging them.

If you are linked to a control centre

Use your radio to tell them where you are going. This will mean the controller has the information, and the passenger will know they do. Alert the controller of any changes along the way.

Have a pre-arranged code word that you can use if a passenger becomes threatening, so that you can call for help without making the passenger suspicious.

Some control rooms have GPS and can track the progress of all vehicles. Drivers have a silent button which they can activate in an emergency, which flags up their vehicle on the controller’s screen.

Staying safe

You know that working at night carries most risks of violence, especially as many passengers will have been drinking. Make sure you are not tired – you need to be alert at all times.

Trust your instinct – you have the right to refuse a passenger if you think they may present a risk.

If you have a saloon car, control passenger access to the front. Only open the windows enough to speak to people without them being able to reach in. Only let them sit in the front if you wish.

Communication with the passenger is important. Be polite and pleasant.

When you travel outside your licensing area, agreeing the fare before you set off can reduce the risks of violence over a fare dispute later, when you may be in an isolated place.

Be ready to explain the fare structure to a passenger. Many violent incidents arise from fare disputes.

Make eye contact with the passenger when they get in the car. This helps to establish a relationship with the passenger. It also gives them the message that you could identify them.

Explain the route you plan to take if you are going a long way round (for example in order to avoid road works) so as to prevent a dispute over the fare.

If you feel threatened

Try to stay calm. Take slow, deep breaths – this may help to lessen your anxiety.

Be aware of your own actions and how they may be seen.

If you can, drive to a brightly lit, busy place as these are often covered by CCTV.

If you have a purpose built taxi or a saloon car with a screen you are likely to be safer staying in your cab than getting out.

Do not attempt to run after a passenger who owes you their fare. Your safety is more important than the money.

If you are attacked

Do not try to fight back – it is most likely to make the violence worse for you.

Use your horn and lights to attract attention.

Contact your control room or call 999 to get help.

Gather as much information about the person as you can (e.g. their clothes, accent).

After an incident

Write down everything about the incident – a description of the passenger, what they said and did.

If you did not call them at the time, report all violent incidents to the police. Be prepared to make a witness statement. It may take time, but it may prevent the violence in the future – for you and other drivers.

When sentencing offenders, courts have been advised to take particularly seriously assaults against people who are providing a public service, especially those who are vulnerable because they work alone at night.

Bilking is a criminal offence. Report incidents to the police and be prepared to make a statement.

You may be able to recover the costs of damage to your vehicle through the small claims system.

Keep safe and have a happy Christmas and I wish you a prosperous New Year.

All the best.

Wayne Casey

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