Latest news with #LicensedTaxiDrivers'Association
Metro
05-08-2025
- Metro
Black cabbie returns £100,000 Hermès handbag to rightful owner
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A black cab driver has been hailed for his honesty after returning a £100,000 designer handbag to its rightful owner. Terry quickly went viral after finding the Hermes clutch bag in his back seat and returning it safely to her fancy central London hotel the next day. After giving the grateful woman a cheeky thumbs up, Terry said: 'I noticed the bag on the backseat after the fare got out. I could see straight away this wasn't an ordinary handbag. 'I drove straight back to the hotel to return it. That's just what we do. This is why London black cabs are the best in the world — we're trusted.' Returning the bag, which appears to be either crocodile or alligator skin, the tattooed driver bonded with the woman over his love of Dubai's golf courses. The person who posted the video claimed Terry received a £200 tip and a flights-included stay in Dubai at the hotel the grateful customers owned. Hana Al Ha later posted a heartfelt message on social media, thanking the driver for his incredible honesty. In her post, she wrote: 'It's rare to meet someone with such integrity and genuine care for others. More Trending 'Please know how much I appreciate the trouble you went through, and how deeply grateful I am for your actions. You turned what could have been a stressful experience into a reminder of the goodness in people. 'Thank you once again for going out of your way — I won't forget it.' The Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) highlighted the act of good will as proof of why London's black cab industry must be safeguarded. In a statement, the LTDA said: 'London's cabbies continue to set the gold standard in service and trustworthiness. This driver's actions exemplify why black cabs remain the safest and most reliable form of transport in London.' MORE: Boxer who punched Princess Anne's kidnapper wishes he hit 'mollycoddled killer' harder MORE: Thousands of Santander bikes not working across London after software upgrade MORE: Man slashed in the arm with samurai sword in Canary Wharf
Time Out
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time Out
Uber is launching driverless cars in London next year
Guys, it's happening. Driverless cars are about to become an actual real-life thing in the UK. Uber has announced that it has joined forces with AI firm Wayve to bring self-drive taxis (aka 'robotaxis') to London's roads next year. The big reveal has come after the UK government said that trials of fully driverless vehicles would be brought forward to spring 2026. Hang on, though – haven't trials been going on in the UK for years? Well, yes, for more than a decade actually. But those tests have all involved having a human safety driver on board, ready to take over the controls if necessary. Under the new government legislation, these new vehicles will be the first in Europe to operate without human backup. For now, the vehicles are just part of a trial and it's not clear whether they'll be available for customers to use – the company says that it's still ironing out the details. A larger rollout is expected in late 2027. The department for transport reckons that the vehicles will help reduce deaths and injuries on British roads, as they have faster reaction times than humans and have been trained on a large number of driving scenarios. It also says that they could create 38,000 jobs and add £42bn to the UK economy by 2035. Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: 'The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.' The government's Automated Vehicles Act will require self-driving cars to be approved after tests to demonstrate 'a level of safety at least as high as competent and careful human drivers'. Robotaxis are already up and running in cities across the US, China, UAE and Singapore, and studies are still looking into whether they really are more or less safe than human-driven cars. Some people are more sus of the whole thing. Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, told the Guardian: 'They are living in fantasy land. We're probably going to have flying taxis before we have autonomous ones in London. 'Most people haven't got a robot hoover or a robot lawnmower even though they are absolutely fantastic. Are people who don't trust a robot to cut their grass or clean their house going to trust one to take their kids to school or drive their elderly mum around?'
