Autocab has reassured operators that the company’s sale to Uber will open up new opportunities for them, as it will give them access to jobs in towns and cities where the US ride-hailing operator does not operate. Uber yesterday acquired 100% of the Manchester-based dispatch systems provider for an undisclosed sum, giving it access to…

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain has organised a two-hour blockage of Tower Bridge by London private hire drivers in protest against the rise in the Congestion Charge. The protest passed close to City Hall, with the IWGB blaming London Mayor Sadiq Khan for not only removing the C-charge exemption from private hire drivers,…

Taxi app Free Now is now offering both hackney carriage and private hire services via the same app in London. The move follows the merger earlier in the year of Free Now and Kapten, both of which are owned by Daimler. The combined service is now looking to take the London top spot from Uber,…

The Department for Transport has drawn criticism for its “robust” new statutory standards for the taxi and private hire vehicle sector – including app-based services – across England and Wales. Among new recommendations announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps (pictured), drivers will have to take an enhanced DBS criminal record check every six months, as…

Greater Manchester’s combined authority has proposed that the region’s hackney taxis be painted black and all private hire vehicles white as part of plans to “modernise” services. The combined authority said it wanted to introduce common minimum standards for taxi and private hire firms, and wanted the sector to move to an entirely zero-emissions fleet…

Ford has also launched its first protection screens, designed to fit the Transit and Tourneo Custom models. The screens are part of the manufacturer’s official accessories range, and are likely to be approved by TfL future for use in Tourneos used for private hire in advance of them becoming available to fit through Ford dealers…

Transport for London has approved partition screens supplied by Toyota to fit a range of its cars. The Toyota screens are the first to be officially approved by TfL, which earlier forced Addison Lee to remove screens from its fleet after a customer videoed a screen falling down in the back of an Addison Lee…

The reopening of car dealerships in June and the gradual easing of the Coronavirus lockdown could lead to the release of pent-up new car demand and the start of a revival, industry analysts believe. But the overall market for new cars could be 30% down on last year’s total. The UK new car market showed…

Addison Lee has been forced to remove vehicle partition screens after Transport for London threatened action. The move comes after video footage was made public showing a faulty partition screen coming away from its rooftop fixing and folding over into the passenger compartment. Addison Lee has launched an investigation into the incident. Helen Chapman, Transport…

Mandatory MOT tests for car, van and motorcycle owners in England, Scotland and Wales are to be reintroduced from August 1, Roads Minister Baroness Vere has announced. But any vehicle with an MOT due date before August 1 will still receive a six-month exemption. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, drivers were granted a six-month exemption…

A new device has been launched, which its makers claim can sterilise a vehicle interior in around half an hour. Sany Car is a portable device that uses ozone gas to sanitise vehicles, with the cost per treatment as low as 93 pence per vehicle. Used by businesses across Europe and endorsed by many car…

Thirteen electric vehicle charging points are to be installed in the West Midlands town of Bromsgrove after the council signed a deal with energy provider Engie. The points will offer 100% renewable energy for all EV drivers, and charging will be free for taxis and private hire vehicles for the first year. There will be…

Licence fees for black cab and private hire taxis have been cut by Wolverhampton Council in a bid to help firms and drivers hit by coronavirus. Councillor Alan Bolshaw, chairman of the council’s licensing committee, said: “The fees for taxi and private hire licence renewals have been reduced on average by around 30%. A driver…

Taxi and private hire drivers “should” wear face coverings from next Monday, though private hire vehicles and taxis are not included in new Department for Transport rules that make it mandatory for public transport staff and passengers to wear face coverings. In response to the new rules, Transport for London (TfL) said all taxi and…

Veezu has introduced new safety measures across its fleet as  the prevention of Covid-19 becomes a way of everyday life and people seek a safe alternative to public transport.

Beleaguered private hire drivers are having to pay the London Congestion and Ultra Low Emission Zone charges again – despite the fact that the Coronavirus Lockdown has not been lifted.

Autocab is extending its relief measures for its customers with a new scheme that will allow them to defer license fees for the Ghost system by 50% for four months.

Both Addison Lee and Uber have confirmed that they will fit partition screens in their car fleet, following the release of new government guidelines which clarified that the screens were acceptable.