The Gloucester Taxi Website

David Miliband faces questions over his use of £2,000-an-hour RAF jets after it was revealed he has travelled on the Queen’s Flight – military aircraft usually reserved for the Royal Family’s use – at least 16 times in the past year.

Cabinet Office rules say Ministers should use the planes only when no scheduled service is available.
The planes Mr Miliband used are based at RAF Northolt in West London and are part of 32 (The Royal) Squadron, which provides transport for the Queen, members of her family and senior military officers.
Eleven senior Royals are allowed to use the special flights – the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
The Foreign Office was unable to say how much Mr Miliband’s journeys had cost the taxpayer.
However, the Royal Household accounts revealed that the hourly rate for use of the four-engined BAe 146, which Mr Miliband used five times, is £2,342. BA Business Class flights from London to Paris start at £319.

Mr Miliband’s travel arrangements were posted on the Foreign Office website in response to a Freedom of Information inquiry by a member of the public. The code says: ‘Non-scheduled flights may be authorised when a scheduled service is not available, or when it is essential to travel by air, but the requirements of official or parliamentary business or security considerations preclude the journey being made by a scheduled service.’
At the time, the Tories had accused Labour of using the Queen’s Flight as a ‘private taxi service’.
Since becoming Foreign Secretary in June last year, Mr Miliband has used the Queen’s aircraft for trips to 13 European destinations.

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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.”
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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.

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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.”
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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.”

BRITISH ENERGY has been hit hard by outages at some of its nuclear power stations.

Pre-tax profits at the nuclear electricity generator in April, May and June were £101million — down from £296million in the same months last year.

It followed stoppages at its Hartlepool, Heysham 1 and Dungeness B power stations.

But chief executive Bill Coley insisted “good progress” had been made towards resolving the issues.

He said talks over a possible takeover were continuing despite the recent rejection by some BE shareholders of a £12billion bid by French power giant EDF. Shares rose 1.5p to 706.5.

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A 20-year-old woman was hospitalised after being attacked by a female gang yesterday.

Police are appealing for witnesses following the, which took place in Victoria Street, Gloucester, at around 2am.

A police spokeswoman said the victim, from Gloucester, was walking home from a friend’s house when she was attacked.

“A large group of mostly black and Asian women forced her to the ground and assaulted her by kicking and punching her in an unprovoked attack,” she said.

“A male witness on a bicycle helped the victim get away from the group and called her a taxi.”
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Police would like to speak to this man as he may be able to help them with their enquiries.

The victim went to Gloucester Royal Hospital to receive treatment for bruising to her eyes and left arm.

Officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the assault or who has information about the incident to contact police on 0845 090 1234, quoting incident 45 of August 11, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Hybrid Cars
For the last few years, fuel prices have been steadily, but surely rising and rising. Petrol is very expensive relative to a few years ago and cutting petrol use has become a necessity for many. On top of this, growing awareness of climate change and the huge amounts of harmful emissions released when driving have prompted a gradual change in mentality amongst drivers and `hybrid cars` have emerged as a green alternative.

How they work
There are essentially two opposite forms of hybrid engine used in cars. The first type is a gasoline-assist engine that features in the Honda Prius and Ford Escape Hybrid. These engines have the capacity to use both electric and petrol power. When the car requires lots of energy such as accelerating from a standstill, electric power is used. On the other hand, when travelling over 25mph and less energy is required, petrol is used. This is the opposite to the other type of engine – the electric-assist model. In these cars it is the electric power that kicks in when extra energy is needed and cars that feature these engines include the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid.

The Benefits of Hybrid
There are numerous benefits to having a hybrid car over a standard petrol-powered vehicle. Firstly, hybrids equal regular cars in terms of aspects such as comfort and performance. Vast amounts of time, research and funding has gone into developing hybrid cars and there now several stylish and comfortable hybrid cars available. Furthermore, given the huge improvements in the technology in recent years, hybrids perform at par with traditionally-powered vehicles if not better. The dual capabilities of hybrid cars combine clean and emission-free electrical energy with petrol and this offers a considerably better mileage to regular cars. Less petrol is required and the increased efficiency of these engines means that fewer harmful climate-changing gases are emitted and this will also result in lower petrol bills for drivers.

The Top Hybrids around
Currently, the two top hybrid cars around, in terms of technology, popularity and comfort, are the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, although numerous competitors promise to widen the market. In third place is probably the Lexus GS 450h, for example. The Prius is the oldest hybrid around and has become an almost iconic model as it began a minor green revolution in the car world. Their energy efficient and innovative engines alongside their stylish designs have made them very popular. Civic Hybrids are catching up in terms of reputation and their greenness is favoured by increasing numbers of drivers.

Buying a Hybrid car
There are a range of hybrids around and it can be tricky to choose and buy a car. The most important aspect to consider is where and when the car will be used. Different engines conserve more energy in different ways and a city user will benefit more from a gasoline-assisted engine whereas electricity-assisted cars benefit long-distance journeys.

Gloucester Taxi was pleased to meet The Flying Buttresses (Hodman Dodmanott and Sally Forth) today (09/08/08), providing them with a Taxi from Gloucester Railway Station to the Beechenhurst Forest Play Festival near Coleford in the forest of dean. The journey was a little strange to say the least, as Hodman Dodmanott insisted in traveling in the boot of our Taxi!

The hugely popular Hodman Dodmanott and Sally Forth, an enchanting, interactive puppetry walkabout featuring an elderly couple of miniature proportions, with huge personalities and a not-so-firm grip on the ways of modern living. Having lived by themselves for hundreds of years, blissfully unaware of the changing world around them, this pint-sized pair have ventured out in search of fame, fortune and friendship, touring the world with their possessions strapped to their backs. Although billed as a walkabout, the performance is often a series of small, static shows when crowds who are drawn to the uncanny illusion seem to find it impossible to leave as they are regaled with long-winded stories that never seem to go anywhere; but then what would you expect from a pair of ramblers… These characters are ‘pod’ puppets, where the puppeteers are completely concealed within the costumes. A truly unique and magical performance.

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A Gloucestershire man has been arrested after dialling 999 to complain about being overcharged by a taxi driver.

The 23-year-old then made a second call claiming he would set himself on fire and police cars, an ambulance and fire crew went to his Mickleton home.

The man has been fined £80 for wasting police time with the calls, which officers said was “deeply frustrating”.

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You really have to work hard to misunderstand Steve Earle: He’s one of folk and alternative country’s most outspoken performers — and, some might say, a professional troublemaker or, even, political agitator.
He does not evade questions or mince words, whether he’s talking about the driving habits of folks in Greater Boston (“They drive like taxi drivers in Mexico City,” he says, “and that’s some of the worst driving I’ve ever seen in the world.”) or his beloved — and currently third-place —Yankees (“My sister lives in Boston, so I have to deal with that crap from my brother-in-law whenever I come to town,” he says. I’m in a good place. Earle, who performs Aug. 15 at the Theater at Newburyport High School in his first-ever North Shore show, is furiously animated, and apocalyptic in his language, when discussing the current election, saying the United States is completely polarized and unable — or unwilling — to declare what it wants to be in the future, which translates into whether there will be a future.
“It’s my job,” he says.
Musical school of hard knocks
Earle broke through with “Guitar Town,” his first album, which was a critical and popular success. The follow-up albums “Exit 0” and “Copperhead Road” built on that foundation
The latter included “John Walker Blues,” a song that looked at — and some say celebrated — the so-called American Taliban, John Walker Lindh. “Washington Square Serenade,” which won the 2008 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album, is something completely different, or so it seems at first blush. It opens with “Tennessee Blues,” updating the title track of Earle’s 1986 debut, and establishes the sense of another fresh start. The album closes with a frightening cover of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole.” Compared with “Revolution” and “Jerusalem,” it is a happier musical document, one that reflects his current situation: happily (and newly) married and settled down in Greenwich Village — a spiritual home, of sorts. He lives in the exact iconic location pictured on the “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” album, and, unseen but far more dangerous for Earle, is what the singer-songwriter describes as “the best guitar store in New York.”

But, no, Earle hasn’t lost his political edge, even on this much-happier album. In “Steve’s Hammer,” a song dedicated to folk icon Pete Seeger, Earle looks to a future when “ the air don’t choke you, and the ocean’s clean / And the kids don’t die for gasoline.”
And in “City of Immigrants,” he takes on hot-button issues like legislating English as a national language and what he says is an inherent racism behind calls for rougher immigration policy. “I don’t define myself as a political songwriter. I’ve written unapologetically political albums in the past. This time I’ve written an unapologetically personal album.”
But the thing that distinguishes “Washington Square Serenade” from other Earle albums, aside from its loving embrace of life and love itself, is the production, which includes beats and other hip-hop effects, laid down by producer — and former Dust Brother — John King, who has also produced the Beastie Boys and Beck.
About half the songs on the album use hip-hop technology. The rest are straight folk. On the current tour, he’s performing solo, mostly — he’s using turntablist Neil McDonald producing the beats. The reaction has been pretty good — no Dylan-at-Newport-circa-1966 calls of apostasy or sell-out. But will the beats become a permanent part of Earle performances?
Hard to say.
The next album will be a collection of tunes by the influential, and difficult-to-characterize, singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, “which I think I can handle myself,” says Earle. “Who knows?” says Earle.

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