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Dick Turpin would not get a look in when it comes to the traffic management team at Newcastle upon Tyne Council. The very thought of giving taxi drivers space to rank up within their City. Unlike our friends across the water who have been working with their Council, Elaine Rudman who is head of licensing works very closely with Gateshead Council Highways Department when it comes to asking the questions of where are the taxi ranks going to be, or when a new hotel is built, she always tries to put taxi’s first… can the same be said about Newastle licensing section when it comes to asking about planning about taxi ranks in our city??.

Taxi drivers: 'We're on the verge of bankruptcy'

Taxi drivers across Watford will stop working tomorrow night, after warning many workers are “on the verge of bankruptcy”.

Drivers are furious Watford Borough Council has begun issuing Watford plates to Three Rivers drivers.

And despite talks with the council, members of the town's Hackney Carriage Drivers' Association have decided they will stop work at midnight on Saturday night/Sunday morning.

They believe up to 60 new licences could be handed out before their next meeting with Watford Borough Council on April 20, by which time they claim many drivers could be “finished”.

Shafiq Ahmed, acting chair of Watford's Hackney Carriage Drivers Association, said: “This is not a protest. We're self-employed and we're not working. No-one is listening to us. This is the way the majority of drivers feel.

“In this recession, we just want the local authority to show some common sense and stop issuing licences to Three Rivers drivers.

“The fact is this council has in the history of Watford destroyed the taxi situation. This has been going on for ages and now salt is being put in the wounds by fastracking Three Rivers drivers into Watford. This is an injustice.

“People are not using taxis so how can they give drivers more problems?”

Watford Borough Council confirmed they have been informed that some licensed taxi drivers have decided not to work tomorrow, after midnight. A representative said: "We have met with them very recently, and reports will go to Licensing Committee for April."

Pair punched and robbed Burnley taxi driver

A MIDDLE-AGED cabbie was racially abused and robbed after he picked up two men from a Burnley club.

Talib Hussain was punched in the face and his money bag snatched during the robbery, which was carried out by the men who then ran off.

Yesterday at Burnley Crown Court, Wayne Bradbury, was found guilty of robbery on October 25 last year.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, told the court another man Ben Swainston had already pleaded guilty to his part in the robbery.

She said Mr Hussain, 52, who was working on a self-employed basis for Burnley Crown Taxis in Church Street, picked up the two men from the Burnleywood Club in Branch Road, at about 10.20pm.

Swainston got in the front passenger seat and the prosecution said Bradbury got in the back.

The victim was asked to take his fares to Aylesbury Walk and was racially abused by the front seat passenger en route.

Mr Hussain was concerned and radioed the control room.

The front seat passenger had also pulled on the handbrake, causing the taxi to swerve, the court heard.

Miss Kehoe said Mr Hussain pulled over and Bradbury started to punch him in the face.

He held the alleged victim whilst his accomplice snatched his money bag. Both men then ran off.

Mr Hussain rang the police and Bradbury was arrested on October 30. When he was questioned, he made no comment.

The prosecutor said Bradbury chose to read out a pre-prepared statement through his solicitor.

He denied taking part in the robbery although he accepted he had been in the taxi.

He claimed he was not guilty of any assault on the driver and said he had not been involved in taking any money.

Miss Kehoe said: "Together they robbed Talib Hussain of his takings that night.

"The prosecution says that Wayne Bradbury used violence, while the other man took the money and together they committed the allegation of robbery."

Bradbury, 23, of Orpen Avenue, in Burnley, had pleaded not guilty to robbery.

He is due to be sentenced on April 21 and was warned by Recorder Suzanne Goddard that he faced jail.

www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk

Woman abducted by bogus taxi driver in Reigate

Police are searching for a fake taxi driver after he abducted a young woman on Reigate High Street.

The 25-year-old was making her way home on Sunday morning at 2am when she became separated from her friends.

She was walking along the High Street when a man pulled up alongside her in his car and asked if she wanted a cab.

She got in, and the driver told her he would drive around the one-way system and collect her friends.

But instead he drove her in the direction of Dorking and didn't stop. It wasn't until they got to Leigh, that he agreed to take her to a friend's house in Caterham.

Luckily the lady was unharmed during the incident.

This incident is not being linked to an allegation of rape in Redhill on Saturday, March 21.

www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/