Latest news with #Wolverhampton
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Transport secretary vows to tighten taxi licensing laws
Ministers have vowed to pass laws to tackle inconsistent taxi and private hire standards amid fears some vehicles "are a dangerous place for many children and young people".Labour MP for Tipton and Wednesbury Antonia Bance spoke in the Commons on Thursday to ask what the government was doing about local taxi licensing referred to Wolverhampton, where applications are believed to be quicker and cheaper than those made Secretary Heidi Alexander said the matter was being taken "very seriously", promising to hold local authorities not following compliance to account. In January, the prime minister tasked Baroness Casey with conducting a rapid review into grooming gangs and child sexual findings, published on 17 June, identified "many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation" as having links with said: "Last week, the Casey review showed us yet again that private hire vehicles are a dangerous place for many children and young people.""What action is the minister going to take to make sure that local taxi licensing is done locally to high standards?" 'Lack of stringency' Alexander told MPs: "Baroness Casey has rightly brought this issue into sharp focus and we've committed to legislating this issue."We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options including out-of-area working, national standards and enforcement, seeking the best overall outcome for passenger safety."Baroness Casey dedicated a chapter of her audit to taxi licensing. It said taxis had historically been identified in a minority of cases as a way children became at risk of sexual exploitation."Both as a potential way for perpetrators to meet their victims, as well as a means of trafficking victims to different locations and introducing them to other perpetrators," the review later added: "A lack of stringency means that drivers who are unscrupulous can apply to a lax neighbouring borough" for a licence, and urged the government to "close these loopholes urgently". 'Illegal to refuse applicants' Licensed taxi drivers are allowed to operate anywhere in England and Wales and are not tied to the district where they got their licence.A report by Taxi Point highlighted 96% of Wolverhampton approved taxi and private hire licence holders lived outside the city between April 2023 and March 2024. City of Wolverhampton Council told the BBC safeguarding was its "number one priority" in taxi licensing and that it was "the first to implement the government's statutory standards and best practice guidance".A spokesman said. "It is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live."It is also illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences they issue."The council does not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ring-fenced for spend only on related activities." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
15 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Wolverhampton's weed problem tackled by council quad bikes
City of Wolverhampton Council has decided to use quad bikes to tackle weeds and other unwanted vegetation. About 475 miles of the city's highways and footpaths have been targeted by the bikes, which allow council staff to spray herbicides more quickly and efficiently.A council spokesperson said using the vehicles reduced both time and costs as previously weed control had been undertaken by council staff on foot and by external contractors. In addition, the new method reduces the amount of herbicides used by up to 70% to minimise the impact on local wildlife, they said. Council staff will be using the quad bikes for about 20 weeks until September and once sprayed, the treatment can take up to 14 days to take Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services, said: "We know that weeds can make our city look untidy and unattractive, especially when they grow around pavements, block paved areas and footpaths."By using the quad bikes, we can better target the weed control. This will reduce costs and free up resources, helping us to spend money more effectively." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Lorry crashes into car in Wolverhampton after driver taken ill
A lorry crashed into a car in Wolverhampton after the driver of the HGV became unwell behind the wheel. Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and an air ambulance attended the scene on Penn Road at 09:14 BST on Friday, where three people were treated. The driver of the car was taken to New Cross Hospital for potentially serious injuries, while a boy was assessed by paramedics and discharged at the scene. West Midlands Ambulance Service said the lorry driver had suffered a suspected medical episode and following treatment, was also taken to hospital. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
a day ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Canal bridge crash near Wolverhampton to cost charity £80k
Repairs costing £80,000 are going to be carried out on a canal bridge after it was hit by a crash was the fifth in 14 years at the crossing near Dimmingsdale, Staffordshire, the Canal and River Trust said - and left a parapet on the bridge badly bridge is near Wolverhampton, on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, between Dimmingsdale Lock and Wightwick repeated crashes have taken a serious toll on the bridge's original masonry, a spokesperson for the charity said and they have called on drivers to slow down and take extra care when going over the region's canals. Paul Ardill, from the trust, said each crash chipped away a piece of history and, in the latest case, had caused "significant structural damage" which would take weeks to bridge is one of about 2,800 canal bridges maintained by the charity, most of which were built in the 18th and 19th charity urged all drivers to follow signs, cut their speed and take extra care when approaching humpbacked or narrow canal bridges."Vehicle strikes cost us, a charity, over £1m per year with many incidents going unreported," Mr Ardill added."On this occasion we do have the driver's details so we can claim some of our costs back from their insurance company but often our bridges are damaged in hit-and-run incidents, leaving us to pay the repair bill."The road, canal and towpath are currently closed while debris is removed and the bridge made safe. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Councillor 'appalled and hurt' over cancer remarks
A Labour councillor who is being treated for cancer has said she felt "appalled, hurt and upset" after a Reform councillor told a full council meeting she was unable to represent her constituents effectively. Carol Hyatt has non-Hodgkin lymphoma and due to her illness City of Wolverhampton Council has given her a dispensation to carry out her duties from home. At the meeting on Wednesday, councillor Anita Stanley said she did not feel Hyatt's arrangement was "very fair on the residents". "I'm immunocompromised, I can do everything, but I can't go out because then I'll get sepsis and could die, but I've done my very best still represent my ward," Hyatt told the BBC. Reform UK and Stanley have been contacted for comment. During a full council discussion about a proposed extension of Hyatt's dispensation to work from home, Stanley stood up and said: "I do not feel it is very fair on the residents not to have a political representative being able to speak up for them for the period of effectively one whole year. "It's not fair on taxpayers." Hyatt said: "The situation is not a party political thing so why would you treat any human being like that when they're fighting cancer and going through treatment? "I'm really hurt because she hadn't bothered to find out the truth and tell it." Hyatt attends council meetings virtually due to being immunocompromised. "I can't turn up in person, I would risk getting neutrophilic septicaemia "Although I'm expecting to be in full remission there's a possibility I might still have cancer again. "The extension is usually just automatically agreed on by all the councillors because Wolverhampton is a supportive council," Hyatt said. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Council leader steps aside for cancer treatment Council leader reveals cancer diagnosis on radio show Charity funds £30m cancer research centre Dignity 'flushed away' in sanitary bin ban row City of Wolverhampton Council
