Salford licensing in £100k fraud investigation

A police officer and two town hall workers have been arrested in connection with a £100,000 fraud investigation.
The probe centres on the licensing department at Salford council.
One worker Jane Nugent, was arrested on suspicion of fraud at her home in Swinton.
Miss Nugent was principal licensing officer for the city until she took voluntary redundancy from her £30,000 post in January. She had worked in the department for several years.
Her boyfriend, Bury-based PC Graham Fox, has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering and placed on restricted duties by Greater Manchester Police.
The probe into Miss Nugent relates to an alleged fraud of more than £100,000 involving credit and cash transfers over a number of years.
Another council worker Gareth Robinson, from Radcliffe, a support assistant in the licensing department, was also arrested in a separate investigation. Mr Robinson was arrested on suspicion of fraud and has been suspended by the council.
It is understood the investigation into Mr Robinson centres on alleged misuse of a credit card amounting to about £7,000.
The licensing department is responsible for issuing licences for taxis, street traders, pubs, and dealing with fixed penalty notices.
Councillor Ray Mashiter, lead member for environment, said: "During one of our regular accounting reviews we uncovered some financial irregularities. As a result we contacted the police and our internal audit team has been supporting their investigation into this matter.
"As this is an ongoing investigation it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."
In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: "A 43-year-old woman and 25-year-old man have been arrested by detectives investigating the theft of cash from licensing services at Salford council.
"Both have been arrested on suspicion of fraud and the man has additionally been arrested on suspicion of burglary.
"A 48-year-old man, a serving GMP officer, was also arrested on suspicion of money laundering as part of the investigation.
"He has been placed on restricted duties and the matter has been referred to the IPCC."
All three have been bailed pending further inquiries until August.

OUR VIEW: All of Greater Manchester Councils should carry out an immediate audit of their own licensing units, many have not produced detailed and understandable accounts for years!!  

Arrow at Manchester airport

 Manchester cab trade blog (CLICK HERE!!!)

 

 

Hi Viz waistcoats for sale.

Monday, 30 May 2011

Private hire expansion comes at a price.

It would appear the cracks are getting bigger with Manchester Airports new top class private hire service. The following mortgage taken out in March this year would suggest that their bank is getting anxious with the size of the overdraft.


http://www.mediafire.com/?twlhcdnn1e5hugd


Source = Companies House, via Capt John.

Government want your views on Taxi reforms

Taxi/PH red-tape Challenge

Taxi-ferrying drug barons jailed

27 May 2011 Last updated at 18:56

A father and son from Oldham who used taxi drivers to distribute drugs across the UK have been jailed at Manchester Crown Court.

Fazal Hussain, 43, and his son Faisal, 20, both of Cranbrook Street, Oldham, were sentenced to nine years 11 months and eight years four months respectively.
Ch Supt Tim Forber of Greater Manchester Police said that the pair "wreaked misery on the community" and that it was "extremely pleasing" that they were behind bars.
Both men admitted several counts of supplying drugs and possessing criminal property.
Seven other gang members received sentences from 15 months to seven years.
WATCH LINK HERE>
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13580347

This is the future/ Taxi app

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zKAr2tcdjk&feature=player_embedded

Can the trade dinosaurs adapt to this type of technology? Well it's modernise or become extinct.

Black Cab Taxi sales plunge at Manganese Bronze

Taxi sales plunge at Manganese Bronze

Last updated: Tue 17th May, 2011 | Time: 08:20am

Sales of Manganese Bronze Holding's London taxi cabs have dropped by 5.2 per cent in the UK for the first quarter of 2011. The Coventry-based company said taxi driver earnings and confidence had been "negatively affected" by the economic climate.
The results were announced through an interim management statement for the period 1 January to 16 May 2011.
Manganese Bronze produced 524 vehicles compared with 553 in the comparable 2010 period.

Girl charged after rape investigation in Bolton

A teenage girl has been charged with perverting the course of justice after police investigated a rape in Greater Manchester.

Officers were called to a house in Great Lever, Bolton, on 8 January when a 17-year-old girl reported being raped by a taxi driver.
A 34-year-old man was arrested but later released without charge, a police spokesman said.
The teenager is due before Bolton magistrates on 1 June.

Lotus builds hydrogen fuel cell taxi for London 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10836132

World's top five taxis

The classic New York taxi is to be phased out and replaced with a Japanese minivan. Here is a list of some of the world's most beloved taxis:

10:30AM BST 04 May 2011

1. London's Black Cab

The world's most distinctive taxi cab, the first Austin FX3 "Black Cab" rolled off the production line in 1948. But it was its successor, the FX4, from 1958 that set the familiar design that is still in use today.

More than 100,000 black cabs have been produced, but today Manganese Bronze, the company which owns the marque, is now importing parts from China, where it has a partnership with Geely, before assembling them in Coventry.

The company has struggled in recent years to make a profit, especially with other taxi cab manufacturers making inroads into London, but it did manage to sell 1,000 black cabs to Azerbaijan earlier this year.


2. Delhi's Ambassador

The Hindustan Ambassador, based on the Morris Oxford III, has also been in production since 1948 and is currently produced near Calcutta.

Despite its British origins, the Ambassador is known as the "King of Indian Roads" because of its excellent suspension. Its excellent reputation was bolstered by the fact that it was the car of choice for Indian political leaders until 2002, when the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee started travelling in an armoured BMW 7 Series.

3. Bangkok's Tuk-tuk

The auto rickshaws of Bangkok, or tuk-tuks, are often the best way to get around a city that is choked with traffic. These days, tuk-tuks are modernising, moving to low emission engines and sometimes being powered by Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). Tuk-tuks do not have meters, however, and the cost of a trip has to be negotiated in advance. That has led to steep rises in fares with clueless tourists often willing to pay the asking price.

4. Mexico City's VW Beetle

Known in Mexico City as El Vocho, tens of thousands of VW Beetles have been painted green and white and have been a familiar sight for at least half-a-century. Now, however, the Mexican Transport ministry is out to get rid of the fleet of Beetles by next year, arguing that they should be replaced with more modern, fuel-efficient vehicles. To tempt taxi drivers to upgrade, Mexico City is offering 15,000 pesos (£790) to anyone who scraps their Vocho.

5. Venice's Gondola

The flat-bottomed gondolas that traverse the canals of Venice were the chief means of transportation in the city for centuries, reaching a peak of popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, when some 8,000 to 10,000 operated in the lagoon. Gondoliers use oars to propel the boats and have to understand the hidden currents that run through the canals, making many of them impassable.

Source; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8491505/Worlds-top-five-taxis.html
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Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy (London)

Important Information for Taxi and Private Hire Drivers and Operators

As you may be aware, in December 2010 the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy was published which contained a wide range of initiatives aimed at reducing harmful emissions in London. The actions outlined in the strategy included initiatives focused on reducing harmful emissions from licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.

You can find a full copy of the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy on the GLA website at: www.london.gov.uk/publication/mayors-air-quality-strategy.

The air quality initiatives for taxis and private hire vehicles included:
• From 1 January 2012 a 10 year rolling age limit will be introduced for private hire vehicles and a 15 year rolling age limit for taxis unless exempted
• From 1 April 2012, unless exempted, all newly licensed private hire vehicles must, as a minimum, meet Euro 4 standards for emissions and be no older than 5 years and all newly licensed taxis must, as a minimum, meet Euro 5 standards for emissions
• TfL will work with both the taxi and private hire industry to introduce eco-driving training from 2012 and to promote efficient driving techniques to reduce emissions with eco-driving elements being required for all new taxi drivers before becoming licensed

New assessments for Chichester taxi drivers

Would-be taxi drivers wanting to work in the area covered by Chichester District Council are now being assessed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) before being given a licence to drive a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

More than 160 councils throughout Britain have already agreed to take testing on board for hackney carriage and private hire drivers. Central operations change manager Phil Coop said: “We are delighted Chichester District Council (CDC) has decided to introduce this assessment as driving a taxi carries a great deal of responsibility.”

Taxi wars' in France as new businesses try to compete

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13320358

De-reg via the Human Rights Act?

Breaking news from Edinburgh. After a battle lasting over 3 years, two Taxi drivers won an appeal in the Sheriff’s court yesterday, granting them two Hackney proprietors licenses. Nothing new here, appeals are won all the time.

This time however, IT IS BELIEVED the drivers used the Human Rights act. The drivers claimed they were unfairly kept from the trade because of artificial restrictions to the tools of the trade i.e, plates. The City of Edinburgh had its own criteria system, similar to Manchester, this was found to be unlawful, as that to was an artificial barrier to the trade. We have been saying all along that Manchester’s criteria was unlawful so the Sheriffs judgment, when we receive it could have repercussions around the country.

Watch this space.

Read more: http://www.mrblackcab.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=740#ixzz1M3QCSKqe

Manchester Airport hands taxi contract to Arrow4th April 2011

MANCHESTER Airport has awarded an exclusive five-year private hire contract to Leeds taxi business Arrow.

The firm plans to invest £700,000 in a new fleet of vehicles which will operate from pick-up points from the airports' three terminals.
Chairman David Richmond said: "We are delighted to be working with Manchester Airport to provide a high quality, seamless taxi private hire service that befits the high standard of one of Europe’s largest airports.
"We bring unrivalled experience from our Leeds Bradford Airport and East Midlands Airport operation offering passengers a high quality, value for money, pre-paid service."
Arrow was awarded a similar concession at Leeds Bradford Airport in January 2008 and a further five-year contract at East Midlands Airport in 2009.
Mr Richmond originally bought the company in 2004 when it had just 20 cars in the fleet. His earlier businesses included Scorpio, a Leeds-based print and finishing company sold in 2003 with a £20m turnover and 500 staff.

Attempt to snatch girl in Burnage

Burnage/Green End

Police are trying to trace a cyclist who helped a girl who was being followed by a man in a car.

Sometime between 9.35pm and 10pm on Sunday 10 April 2011, a 13-year-old girl was walking along Kingsway close to Green End Road when a man in a red car pulled alongside her and asked her if she was ok.

The girl ignored him and walked off.

He then pulled alongside her on Mauldeth Road near the junction with Aubrey Road and tried to grab her.

The teenager stopped a passing cyclist and the man drove off.

The cyclist walked the girl home before leaving.

The man in the car is described as Asian, in his 30s, about 5ft 6in tall, with short black hair and a long face.

Detective Constable Anthony Calvert, said: “The girl is understandably very upset by what has happened and we are working hard to identify the driver of the car.

“I am also keen to identify the cyclist who helped the girl as he could have vital information to help this investigation so I would urge him or anyone else with information to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to call West Didsbury CID on 0161 856 6090, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

All change at Manchester airport

Major contract win for Arrow

1st April 2011

Taxi business Arrow has secured its third major airport concession in as many years after winning a five year contract to be the exclusive private hire operator at Manchester Airport.

Leeds-based Arrow is investing £700,000 in a new fleet of vehicles which will operate from pick-up points from the airports' three terminals.

Arrow chairman David Richmond said: "We are delighted to be working with Manchester Airport to provide a high quality, seamless taxi private hire service that befits the high standard of one of Europe’s largest airports.

"We bring unrivalled experience from our Leeds Bradford Airport and East Midlands Airport operation offering passengers a high quality, value for money, pre-paid service.“

Arrow was awarded a similar concession at Leeds Bradford Airport in January 2008 and a further five year contract at East Midlands Airport in 2009.

Black Cab fires claims continue

Manganese Bronze to contest cab drivers' claims

Manganese Bronze, maker of London's traditional black cabs, said it would contest a court litigation by 436 cab drivers, who alleged a loss of income after a recall of taxis three years ago.

'The claim arises from the product recall, announced by the group on 26 September 2008, following twelve under-bonnet fires in early production models of the TX4 taxi,' the company said in a statement.

The claim has been issued against company's taxi manufacturing unit LTI Ltd and eleven other parties.

Manganese Bronze, which recently agreed its biggest London taxi order worth $27 million with a company in Azerbaijan, said it had taken adequate steps to cover the cost of the litigation.

The company, 20 percent-owned by China's largest private automaker Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd, said the taxi drivers were yet to provide details of their alleged income loss.

'Although the claim is at an early stage, it appears that all except one of the claimants is alleging loss of income alone, for when the taxis were off the road,' Manganese Bronze said.

The Coventry-based company's shares were down 1.1 percent at 46 pence at 0730 GMT on Wednesday on the London Stock Exchange.

Durham to de-regulate?

Controversial County Durham cab changes approved

CABBIES have vowed to pursue legal action after controversial new trade rules were nodded through without a single word of protest. Widespread changes to County Durham's taxi trade were rubber-stamped at County Hall yesterday - with the proposals winning all-party support.

Councillors approved creating a deregulated, countywide hackney carriage zone, allowing unlimited numbers of vehicles to operate and imposing an all-white colour scheme. Afterwards, fuming cabbies claimed the changes would put taxi firms out of business and "destroy" historic Durham City, leaving it overrun with cabs.

Is it time to Pony up? AND - Private Hire price wars!!

So here it is again - will the "pony" receive it's trap or not? The jury is still out. More to follow. On a seperate issue, does this sound familiar?

Private Hire Drivers to stage go-slow protest through Sheffield
Private Hire drivers are to stage a drive-slow through Sheffield tomorrow in protest at cab firms’ pricing policies.
Up to 50 Private Hire cars will converge in Woodbourn Road, Attercliffe, at 11am, before driving slowly through the city centre and then back again.
Mohammed Yasin, chairman of the Sheffield Private Hire Drivers’ Association, said 1,400 self-employed Private Hire drivers in the city are being caught in rival firms’ price wars.
“Fuel prices have rocketed sky-high,” he told The Star.
“But we are not allowed to change our prices.
“We are all self-employed and pay companies a weekly fee for them to take bookings.
“They set the prices we charge - and the prices have not changed since 2009.”
Unlike Hackney cab drivers, private hire drivers cannot carry passengers that have not pre-booked.

They rely on firms such as Metro, Sheffield City Taxis, Mercury and Abbey for their bookings.

Mr Yasin said: “There is a price war going on in Sheffield and it is being fought at the drivers’ expense.

Licensing manager "retires" at Stockport Council

It appears as though Norman Elthorpe, the controversial manager of licensing and trading standards is to "retire" in two weeks time.
He made the announcement at a meeting of taxi trade reps earlier this week. Norman Elthorpe will be most remembered by the taxi trade for leading the council into two expensive court cases.
He first tried to force all taxi owners to paint their cabs Green. This was overruled at Manchester Crown Court by the wise HH Judge Geake, leaving the tax payers of Stockport with a huge legal bill.
Then two years ago, after failing to ensure he had carried out the legal requirements to limit the number of taxis, spending untold thousands of tax payers money on worthless studies. He once again met HH Judge Geake at Manchester Crown Court. As predicted he again lost the case with further resultant unnecessary expense for the hard pressed residents of the town. His "departure" comes at a time when the Council are on the brink of Crown Court action. They are to appear on Wednesday 23rd March 2009 in a disability case brought by a Stockport cabbie.

At last he is "retiring" as to what sort of package he has been "awarded" one can only guess at this stage. It is hope that it will be revealed "in the fulness of time"
For now, let's pray it was nothing close to this chaps cheerio:

A council boss was given a £365,000 payment when he quit a job after a year.
Adam Wilkinson, now chief executive of Derby City Council, received the huge pay out from Kent County Council where he had worked as director of environment and regeneration.

Stockport Council Court date 23rd March 2011

The preliminary hearing has been set at Minshull Street Crown confirming :- mention, fix & directions hearing on the 23rd March 2011.

 

In the saloon Hackney Carriage case.

Petrol hits £1.40 a litre as minister makes alarmist forecast it could reach £4

Government desperate to avoid repeat of fuel blockades as senior Lib Dem claims that those on low incomes cannot afford expense of getting to work

By Matt Chorley, Kunal Dutta and Susie Mesure

East Lancashire taxi drivers to support Rossendale strike

TAXI drivers across East Lancashire say they will support two strikes which have been called by fed-up cabbies in Rossendale this weekend.

Private hire and hackney carriage drivers’ representatives in Burnley and Hyndburn have backed walkouts and will not send taxis into the valley this weekend.

Anger at new licensing and enforcement policies, drawn up by Rossendale Borough Council, has built up over the past 18 months and prompted the industrial action.

Delroy Grant 'was Night Stalker rapist'

A man has gone on trial accused of being the so-called Night Stalker who targeted elderly people in a 17-year campaign of sex attacks.

Delroy Grant, 53, of Honor Oak, south London, sexually assaulted men and women in their 80s during burglaries, Woolwich Crown Court was told.
He denies charges relating to 29 offences committed from 1992 to 2009.
Opening the case, prosecutors said Mr Grant preyed on the elderly and vulnerable in their homes at night.

Manganese Bronze seals biggest London taxi order

LONDON (Reuters) - Manganese Bronze  maker of London's traditional black cabs, said it had agreed an order for 1,000 taxis with a company in Azerbaijan, sending its shares up nearly 50 percent on Thursday.
The company, which has struggled with falling sales and market share, said the deal was the single largest contract it had received for its London taxi.
The $27 million deal will see 1,000 TX4 London cabs supplied by Shanghai LTI -- Manganese Bronze's joint venture partner with Chinese car manufacturer Geely Automobile Holdings -- to private Azerbaijani firm, the Baku Taxi Company, in 2011.
The Baku Taxi Company had been set up to develop a program originally announced by the Transport Ministry of Azerbaijan to introduce London cabs into Azerbaijan's capital city, Baku.
Shares in Manganese Bronze, which had fallen from a high of 240 pence per share in June 2006, were up 49 percent to 55 pence.