We offer a quick response, but we are safe … Honest!

Criminal convictions lead to licence withdrawals…

This would never happen in Cheltenham (-: … see this post!

A court has upheld a council decision to refuse two men taxi driver licences because of their criminal convictions.

Sakhi Daler, 58, of Highfield Road, held a licence from Luton Borough Council for 26 years, but has been refused a renewal for the last two years because of his convictions for driving offences, assisting illegal entry into the UK and using insurance documents with intent to deceive.

He appealed to Luton Magistrates Court over the refusal earlier this month, but the court upheld the council’s decision.

Imran Khan, 27, of Stratford Road, Luton, also had an appeal dismissed by the court, and was ordered to pay £220 in costs to the council.

He had become a licensed taxi driver in 2004 but his licence was suspended after he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in March
last year, and sentenced to 14 days imprisonment. He was also banned from driving for six months.

The council then decided to revoke his licence.

Commenting on the court’s decisions, Councillor Don Worlding, who heads up licensing at the council, said: “Passengers must be confident all licensed drivers will act in an honest manner.”

Source

A MAN with 17 convictions, including burglary, threatening behaviour and the possession of drugs has been given the green light to become a taxi driver.

Jayantilal Patel’s application for a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence was granted for one year by Cheltenham borough licensing committee.

The decision sparked anger among taxi drivers.

Speaking after the meeting, Dave Hemmings, chairman of the Hackney Drivers’ Association in Cheltenham, said: “We’re seething. No one wants to step up to the plate and say ‘No you can’t become a driver because you aren’t fit and proper’.

“It doesn’t do the public image of taxi drivers any good.”
Click here!

Mr Patel, who was at the meeting, has 17 convictions comprising 28 offences dating from 1989 to 2003. They include going equipped for theft, threatening behaviour, burglary and theft, assault with intent to resist arrest and being drunk and disorderly.

He had told the committee: “I would like the opportunity to become a taxi driver for myself and my future.”

In his report, community enforcement officer Ian Deakins was impressed with Mr Patel’s open manner in discussing his past life and his determination to gain fruitful employment.

He said: “He has obviously matured and shows genuine regret for his past record.”

The last conviction was in June, 2003.

Mr Patel said he had previously worked in a factory and as a postman.

The committee voted to grant his application for one year subject to him successfully completing all other assessments.

The committee also reviewed the Hackney Carriage licence of Akekur Babu Rahman, who has nine penalty points on his licence for three separate fixed penalty offences, two for speeding and one for a defective tyre.

He said he had been caught by speed cameras on two occasions, not doing major speeds with no passengers.

The committee decided his licence should remain in force and that he be required to have a road safety unit driver assessment.

Mark Lewis was given the green light to renew his Private Hire Driver’s Licence, requiring he successfully undertake a similar driver assessment. He has two speeding offences.

Siraj-Eddine Kortbi’s application to renew his Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence was deferred pending appeal results. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice for a public order offence and fined £80 in March.

The application of Riza Ali Ahmed for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence was withdrawn. He has previous convictions for possession of a Class A drug in 2006, and further conviction for obstructing the police, having no insurance, no driving licence and using a mobile phone while driving.

Source

Two people have been arrested over an attack on a taxi driver who was sprayed in the eyes and blinded temporarily.

The attack happened in Milton Keynes on Sunday and the pair have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Three men met the taxi in Gloucester Road, Wolverton, and attacked the driver, a police spokesman said.

One of them sprayed a substance in his eyes causing burning. The driver’s car keys and £15 were stolen. Police are warning drivers to be careful.

Police said officers believe this attack is linked to a similar incident in the Bradwell Abbey on 3 August when a taxi driver was also sprayed in the eyes but managed to drive off.

Det Con Wendy Fellowes said: “We would urge taxi companies in Milton Keynes not to take bookings from withheld numbers unless they are established customers and ensure they get a full name.

“Two people have been arrested in connection with the attacks and they are currently on police bail while we carry out further inquiries.”

Read More Here

Britain’s leading car insurance broker, AA Insurance, has welcomed today’s Ministry of Justice initiative to clamp down on careless driving.

The ‘Don’t drive distracted’ announcement from Justice Secretary Jack Straw highlights a range of new careless driving laws that come into effect on Monday 18 August.

The new laws are designed to allow courts to imprison drivers who cause death because they were not paying due care and attention to the road or to other road users. The courts will also consider ‘avoidable distractions’ when sentencing motorists, including use of mobile phones. It also identifies eating and drinking and applying make-up among driver distractions that could lead to a collision that causes death.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, says: “I believe that these new laws will be widely welcomed by the insurance industry.

“Already many insurers significantly increase premiums, or refuse cover, for drivers who are convicted of careless driving, including convictions linked to the use of hand-held mobile telephones.

“Using a hand-held mobile telephone while driving, already attracts a fixed penalty of £60 and three penalty points. However, this offence often also attracts a careless driving penalty - whether the driver is involved in an accident or not. And in the event of an accident, particularly if someone is killed or seriously injured, police will routinely check mobile telephone records to see whether use of the phone was a contributory cause of the accident.

“Insurers recognise that such penalties lead to sometimes significant insurance claims and will either refuse to insure convicted drivers or significantly increase the premium they pay.”

In a survey of insurers on its panel, broker AA Insurance discovered that half would refuse to quote for a driver with a CU80 (hand-held mobile phone) offence and a DC10 (careless driving) offence while those that did increased premiums by up to 50 per cent.

Simon Douglas points out: “That premium increase will remain for three years, significantly adding to the cost of the penalty.

“Eight people die on our roads each day. Drivers who have been convicted of causing death through careless driving can expect to find it very difficult and expensive to obtain car insurance after they have served their sentence.

“No telephone call is ever worth the risk of causing death or injury. Switch the phone off when you are driving or put it on silent and collect calls at the next service area. And if you make a call to someone who is obviously driving, hang up immediately.”

source

VIOLENT crime has fallen in Cheltenham town centre – and police are chalking the results up to their partnership with the Nightsafe group.

Nightsafe is a partnership of bar, club and takeaway owners, taxi drivers and other night-time workers, the police and Cheltenham Borough Council, which aims to reduce crime and disorder in the town.

One of its most successful initiatives has been to connect pubs and clubs with police by a radio system, which also links to closed circuit television operators at Cheltenham police station, and on Friday and Saturday nights, to the Police public order patrol.

The licensing officer for Cheltenham Police, PC Andy Cook, said: “Cheltenham has a vibrant nightlife that attracts visitors from throughout the county and further afield.

“In the town centre alone there are more than 150 premises licensed to sell alcohol and excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to anti-social behaviour and violence.”

Sixty-five incidents of violence were reported in Cheltenham town centre in June 2008, compared to 94 in June 2007 and the all-time high of 150 in October 2005.

PC Cook said: “A small number of people can easily spoil an evening for customers and staff in licensed premises and Cheltenham police and Cheltenham Borough Council have been working closely with Nightsafe members to ensure that Cheltenham remains a safe place to visit by introducing various crime reduction measures.

“This drop in violent crime is very encouraging and is largely thanks to the Nightsafe partnership and the responsible management of the pubs, clubs and restaurants and diligent work by door staff. However, we are not going to relax.

“By working together we can make Cheltenham even safer and reduce crime, disorder and violence for those who live in and visit the town.”

Sourece

THE green light for a taxi rank to be installed in Chipping Sodbury is due to be switched on within months.

Calls have been made for special marked bays on Broad Street for several years amid fears drunken revellers trying to get home will cause a fatal accident.

South Gloucestershire Council announced this week it was set to approve the rank and that it could be in operation by early autumn.

A spokesman said: “The council consulted the public over the proposed taxi rank scheme in Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury earlier in the year.

“Following feedback, the scheme was amended and is currently being advertised as part of the traffic order process.

“If no objections are received to this proposal then the taxi rank could become operational in the early autumn.

“The planned operational times for the rank is Friday and Saturday only, 9pm to 2am.”

The taxi rank will be stationed outside the Beaufort Hunt pub and will have room for four cars. Taxi drivers will self regulate spaces at the rank but will be directed to park there and not on the other side of the road, outside two busy pubs.

Police in the town are behind the idea as they say it will give officers somewhere to direct pub-goers to queue for a taxi home.

Former sector Inspector Mark Hedgcock said last year that a taxi rank would reduce late-night trouble on Broad Street Town councillor Matthew Allen said: “The ranks could be a solution to the noise disturbance created late at night around the town’s centre.

“It think it could benefit both people wanting to get home from the pub and residents living on the high street.”

Source