Taxi and private hire operators in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are asking for a second increase in fares to cover the huge rise in fuel costs sustained in 2022. The area’s taxi and private hire association is seeking a 6% increase in fares as…

Telford & Wrekin council is this week set to rubber-stamp a proposal to allow older taxis to be licensed in order to maintain the fleet of vehicles in the borough. Ten year old private hire vehicles are currently allowed on the roads, and the…

Nottingham-based DG Cars has continued its ambitious expansion drive with its largest acquisition to date, with the takeover of ACE-ABC of Mansfield. ACE-ABC is the largest private hire operator in Mansfield, with a fleet of 220 cars. And a permanent staff of 35 people.…

EV charging network Osprey has partnered with the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group, British Garden Centres, to provide rapid EV charging at its UK stores. Osprey’s ultra-rapid charging hubs can add 100 miles of range in 20-30 minutes, and initially 12 of British…

Two leading midlands private hire operators have merged to create a regional giant with a combined fleet of 370 cars. Chads Cars of Derby and Star Cars of Birmingham have joined forces – with the merger taking place 31 years to the day after…

Specialist dealer The Taxi Centre is entering the black cab and hackney market after agreeing a new partnership with London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC). The dealer, part of the massive Vertu Motors dealer group, has been appointed sales and aftersales partner for LEVC in…

Edinburgh Airport has invited taxi and private hire operators to tender for its taxi rank contract, which is up for renewal next April. The decision means current licence holders City Cabs and Edinburgh City Private Hire will face competition in order to keep their…

Transport for London has granted ride-hailing app Free Now a three-year private hire vehicle operator’s licence. This is the longest licence awarded to any of the big four ride-hailing app operators in London. In a statement, Free Now said it was committed to investing…

Leeds taxi drivers have staged further protests outside the city’s Civic Hall after the local authority approved controversial changes to driver regulations. At a meeting on Tuesday, Leeds City Council’s licensing committee agreed to recommend the rule change, under which drivers with 9 points…

Veezu has made further acquisitions in Yorkshire and the West Midlands as it continues to expand its major regional hubs. The company’s West Midlands arm, Go Carz, has acquired Shrewsbury Cars and its sister company Oswestry Cars, making it the biggest operator in the…

Uber is adding train and coach travel options, including international train trips, to its app under a new tie-up in the UK. The move will allow customers to book longer distance journeys on the same app they use for taxis, and sees Uber move…

Fast-growing taxi operator Take Me has added another company to its portfolio. The Leicestershire-based group has acquired north-eastern operator 1AB Taxis, adding another 170 vehicles to the national fleet. 1AB was formed in 1984 in Darlington. Its name derives from its original slogan –…

Use of ride-hailing apps does not constitute plying for hire, the Court of Appeal has ruled. In a landmark decision, three High Court judges rejected claims by a taxi activists group that the Free Now app was acting unlawfully by operating in London. In…

A leading London chauffeur operator has called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to reverse Transport for London’s policy of refusing to licence diesel vehicles. Martin Cox, CEO of Gerrards, claimed the policy was damaging chauffeurs’ businesses and costing TfL money, and called on mayor…

The firm, which has its headquarters on Colwick Industrial Estate, said the takeover will add around 30 drivers to their fleet. Nottingham-based DG Cars is continuing its rapid expansion drive to become a major player in the East Midlands with another acquisition, its seventh…

A number of London Uber drivers staged a 24-hour strike and protest in London after a trade union claimed they were losing 40% of their earnings because Uber did not include waiting time as drivers’ working hours. In a statement, the App Drivers and…

The numbers of ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers in the UK grew by 40% in the first half of 2022, according to data from EV charging app Zap-Map. As of the end of June 2022, Zap-Map’s data shows that the number of ultra-rapid charge points,…

Europe’s biggest and most powerful EV charging hub has been opened in Oxford. Energy Superhub Oxford will initially provide fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles, but this could be extended to charge 400 cars at a time. The hub, situated at Oxford’s Redbridge…