Professional Driver Magazine February 2022

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 01 £4.95

Rules of the road

The new hierarchy of priority on UK roads + first drive: BMW’s new i4 & iX

#bornelectric UK specification will vary. Fuel economy and CO2 results for the BMW iX3. Mpg (l/100km): Not applicable. CO2 emissions: 0 g/km. Electric range*: 280 to 285 miles.

These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. The iX3 is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. *These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.

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contents

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COVER STORY RULES OF THE ROAD – Understanding the Highway Code changes

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B usiness News The latest from around the UK private hire sector

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CES 2022 Autonomous cars, EVs and connectivity at the Las Vegas tech expo

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BMW 745Le plug-in hybrid

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F irst Drive BMW’s all-electric i4 and iX models

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C urrent Affairs Our new regular column about electric vehicles, infrastructure and issues

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REGULAR FEATURES 34 The Knowledge 36 The Negotiator

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 01 £4.95

Rules of the road

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mark Bursa 07813 320044 markbursa@prodrivermags.com

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The new hierarchy of priority on UK roads + first drive: BMW’s new i4 & iX

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CONTRIBUTORS Ian Robertson, Glen Holder, Phil Rule, John Coombes, Phil Huff, Tim Barnes-Clay, Gary Jacobs, David Wilkins, Craig Thomas,

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35 The Advisor 37 The Insider

2022 | ces report

Thinking out of the box Mark Bursa

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S THE TRADITIONAL MOTOR SHOW FADES INTO

folk memory, the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has become the number one showcase for the latest automotive technology.

Even with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic forcing some manufacturers to “go virtual” with their product launches, the event is still the best place

to identify future trends in mobility. Technology companies are increasingly eyeing the auto industry as the next frontier for communications, infotainment and connectivity – all of which are crucial to the industry’s enduring ‘holy grail’ – self-driving cars.

The focus is, as always, on urban areas, as that is where autonomous vehicles are likely to play the most significant role. Taxis, ride-sharing and, especially, deliveries appear to be the main focus of AV activity.

The AV as “box on wheels” is always a feature of CES, and there were several cube-shaped debutants at the 2022 event.

Ree Leopard Israeli-based Ree Automotive revealed an autonomous urban delivery concept vehicle based on a new modular EV platform. The concept is aimed at last-mile delivery companies, delivery fleet operators and e-retailers.

The 2-tonne concept vehicle is 3,400mm long with front-wheel steer and rear-wheel drive.

It has a 50kWh battery capacity. All steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control components are placed into a compact module in each corner of the vehicle between the chassis and the wheel.

Drive-by-wire technology controls all aspects of the drive, and as a result the vehicle has a completely flat floor. It’s narrow, too – just 1,400mm wide – for enhanced manoeuvrability.

Udelv Transporter California-based start-up Udelv also showed its take on an autonomous delivery vehicle. The Udelv Transporter is designed to handle multiple deliveries – up to 80 stops per cycle. Goods such as parcels can be placed in separate partitions, and the vehicle can autonomously travel over a set route of up to 300 miles depending on battery pack.

Udelv claims it has 1,000 orders for the Transporter, which uses Intel’s Mobileye self-driving systems. Udelv said it aimed to start production in 2023 and have 50,000 Transporters operating on public roads by 2028.

LG Omnipod LG is the one Korean industrial giant that has steered clear of the automotive sector as anything other than a tech supplier – but at CES it revealed the Omnipod, a vehicle it has designed itself. The concept is basically a mobile personal living space, designed to function as a home office, entertainment centre or lounge. The concept showcases in-car infotainment systems that can be controlled via smartphone or voice command through the LG ThinQ app, a smart home solution service. “Adding cars to the LG ThinQ ecosystem, will continue to lay out new customer experiences and blur boundaries between spaces, so that user experiences at home can be seamlessly extended to cars,” LG Electronics Chief Executive Officer William Cho said.

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FEBRUARY 2022

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Setting the wrong standards

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T’S ALL KICKING OFF IN LEEDS AND Manchester. No, it’s not a re-run of the War of the Roses. It’s not even Leeds United v Manchester United in the Premiership.

Drivers in the two grand old northern cities are fighting similar battles – and the enemy is the same – local authorities over-zealously imposing new rules on the beleaguered taxi and private hire trade.

At first it looked odd that drivers in Bolton and Rochdale were carrying out go-slow protests outside their respective town halls, in protest against the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone.

Most of the cars looked like they’d have no problem complying – any Toyota Prius that’s in a fit state to register would be exempt from CAZ charges, and that’s what most of the protesting cabbies seemed to be driving.

But compliance with today’s rules is not the problem, Buried in the small print of future proposals are draconian limits on new cars – nothing older than five years old can be firstregistered; nothing over 10 years old can be used.

So drivers who have suffered vastly reduced incomes in the past two years would be expected to trade in a perfectly legal, well-maintained car for no good reason, just to suit the whims of a council that wants to see a shiny fleet of electric taxis on the road.

No matter how generous the grant, the average self-employed driver cannot afford to do this.

That Euro 5 diesel minicab, which is probably eight years old, is likely to be replaced at best by a six-year-old Euro 6 equivalent, with a modest additional cost.

Meanwhile, the issue in Leeds is not about clean air zones – that’s been scrapped – but about highly intrusive standards being applied to licensing – so that, say, a minor dispute with a neighbour that involved the police, but settled without charges, could be used to take away a driver’s license.

Again, this is unacceptable. It’s understandable that authorities are keen on higher standards, and

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the need to crack down on criminal activity in the wake of the Rotherham child abuse scandal is at the forefront of councils’ minds. But this is not the way to solve it.

On a daily basis, we see local authorities getting involved with nif-naf and trivia. Colour of cars; tinted windows; display signs; dress codes. Stuff to give the little Napoleons of the licensing office something to do.

Above all, this highlights the need to introduce proper national standards for taxi and private hire. You don’t have this sort of nonsense in the commercial vehicle sector, because HGV licensing is national. Same with buses. Yes, you can have local rules on livery and signage, but you expect that with a bus.

Demanding PHVs are painted pink or purple is beyond a reasonable request. This industry is not stupid. It knows what works in terms of cars and presentation.

Let’s have a proper look at this issue – not “minimum” standards – proper standards! So licensing then doesn’t become a battle for funds, with sharper councils such as Wolverhampton picking up other councils’ licensing business. If the cost was the same everywhere – by law – it would be down to efficiency of processing, not cost.

That way driver recruitment could be speeded up, as a national standard would help reduce local backlogs, as licensing could be spread around.

The “plate” wouldn’t be a local one – it would be a national one.

Unified areas such as Greater Manchester are a step in the right direction, but they must do the job properly, and not treat their new, wider powers as a stick to beat the poor driver with.

Proper national regulation would stop this from happening, and there might be fewer protests outside those town halls.

Mark Bursa Editor markbursa@prodrivermags.com

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news

North Yorkshire’s Station Taxis of Malton becomes Take Me’s first takeover of 2022 Mark Bursa Ambitious taxi group Take Me has added another company to its growing portfolio with the addition of North Yorkshire operator Station Taxis.

The company operates around the Ryedale area and has a head office in Malton. Station Taxis boss Lisa Ridsdale, who is staying with the business, said she was delighted that her business was now part of the Take Me group, and, allowing it to access the power of the network.

She said: “Station Taxis is a family run business established in 1991, since when we have grown to be the largest taxi service in the Ryedale area.”

She continued: “We have been running a successful business in Malton and surrounding areas for years, but we know that being part of a network of businesses just like mine will ensure that we can use the latest

systems, technology and marketing, giving us a new edge in 2022.”

“I am also looking forward to being part of a network of taxi owners, where I can seek advice as well as share my own best practices with other companies in different locations. Together, we are stronger, and ready to take on the challenges of operating a taxi fleet in the modern age.”

The company has a workshop in Norton with a second office at Malton Station and an operation in the town of Pickering, Station Taxis operates a fleet of 15 cars, five MPVs and five 16-passenger minibuses.

Ridsdale added: “Having recently provided Ryedale’s first ecofriendly green hybrid taxi, we have since taken delivery of a further 3, demonstrating our commitment to

help protect our local environment.

We’re passionate about serving the local community and continually strive to improve the quality of our service.”

Take Me managing director David Hunter said: “The company has more acquisitions in the pipeline to be announced in the near future and 2022 is shaping up to be just as busy as last year, following the additions last year to the group including ADT Taxis, Steve’s Taxis, VGT Taxis, Westside Taxis, Intercity Private Hire, Tower Cabs, TC Cars and Taxifirst.”

Hunter concluded: “It is exciting times at Take Me as we keep expanding and adding brilliant local businesses to our network fleet. Together we can bring our skills and infrastructure from being a national brand but build on the local expertise of these amazing well established taxi operators.”

Addison Lee guarantees new drivers £5,000 in their first month in its new recruitment plan Mark Bursa Addison Lee has launched an aggressive driver recruitment programme in a bid to rebuild driver numbers as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The London private hire and taxi giant wants to hire 1,000 new private hire drivers this year.

New recruits are being offered guaranteed earnings of £5,000 in their first month, together with holiday pay and contributory pension. Currently, top earners at Addison Lee are earning more than £2,000 per week.

The company has also launched a new scheme called a AL Rewards, a suite of benefits to support drivers’ financial, physical, and mental wellbeing.

AL Rewards has been developed in partnership with Collective

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Benefits. The package includes sick pay, physio support and mental health counselling as part of a range range of wellbeing measures.

With the first Volkswagen ID.4

electric vehicles already operating on its fleet, Addison Lee will also offer all drivers access to an electric vehicle by 2023 as it transitions to a fully-electric fleet.

Drivers will also be offered support with the shift to electric, including exclusive access to nearby offstreet EV charging points through Addison Lee’s partnership with JustPark.

Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin said: “As Plan B Covid restrictions ease and demand rises, Addison Lee’s new driver offer ensures the best deal in the market for existing partner drivers and new recruits, with the best earning opportunities, a range of benefits and access to state-of-the-art vehicles. This enhanced package ensures that we will be supporting our existing partner drivers, while growing our fleet to help meet rising demand for safe travel in London.”

Prospective drivers can register interest to drive at addisonlee.com/ private-hire-drivers/register

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news

Mayor Burnham faces taxi trade backlash over Manchester’s Clean Air Zone plan Mark Bursa Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s Clean Air Zone plans are facing an angry backlash from taxi and private hire drivers, with protests on separate days in Rochdale and Bolton.

More than 100 drivers staged a two-hour go-slow protest around Bolton, while Rochdale drivers and operators held a 24-hour strike.

Under proposed new Greater Manchester Combined Authority regulations, hackney carriages and private hire vehicles can only be registered if they are less than five years old, and vehicles older than ten years must be replaced. Drivers feel that the timing of such changes will put many of them out of business. The Manchester CAZ, which covers 10 boroughs in the metropolitan Greater Manchester area, comes into force on May 30, 2022. Under the scheme, taxi and private hire drivers with older, more polluting vehicles, will have to pay a £7.50 a day charge to enter the zone.

At present, any taxi or PHV that complies with Euro 4 (petrol) or Euro 6 (diesel) emissions standards will be exempt from CAZ charges. However this will affect some drivers, especially black cabs in particular, many of whom drive older diesel taxis, the majority of which are Euro 5.

The charges will apply to non-compliant vehicles registered outside Greater Manchester from the day the CAZ starts. But Greater Manchester-registered vehicles will have an extra 12 months in order to update their vehicles,

GMB’s Garelick calls for ‘no-ride list’ for troublesome and violent passengers GMB Regional Organiser Steve Garelick has called for the introduction of a ‘NoRide List’ similar to the NoFly Lists used by airlines, in a bid to ban disruptive or violent passengers from taking cabs.

He said: “We are all accustomed to seeing ‘we will not tolerate abuse towards our staff’ signage in hospitals, doctor’s surgeries and retailers. So why is it that some individuals believe they can act with impunity towards those providing their personal

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and they will not be charged until May 30, 2023.

Mahmood Akhtar, vice chairman of the Bolton Private Hire Association, said he feared that taxi businesses would be forced to close: “We just can’t afford to purchase the new vehicles. We don’t understand that if we have to sell our current cars to the public, they will still be on the road, so why are we being penalised?”

Greater Manchester authorities have made funding available for drivers to upgrade vehicles, but Akhtar said the funds were not sufficient. “The grants which are being offered are not enough, and we need the rest of the money to help us. We also don’t yet have the infrastructure to support the electric vehicles in the area.”

Nick Astley, owner of Bolton-based Metro Taxis, said: “We want to take a stand and these changes should be postponed, with more help given to the drivers. Otherwise it will have a big impact on customers who rely on us because we will have to increase fares.”

In Rochdale, a 24-hour strike action began at 6am on Monday, January 24. Mohammed Nabeel, co-own-

er of Streamline Taxis Rochdale, said he hoped the strike action would highlight a need for the proposals to be looked at again: “It’s going to scare people away from the industry, for sure. I think it could get to the point where drivers will have no choice but to walk away from the trade.”

He continued: “A car less than five years old now is anything between £15-20,000 - that’s a lot of money.” He said the new rules would lead to fare rises in Rochdale. “The prices in Rochdale are probably one of the lowest in all of the UK but there’s no way it will stay affordable for people with these changes.”

A statement from the Rochdale Association for Private Hire Drivers said that all licensed private hire drivers and their customers would be affected by the proposed changes: “If the proposals go ahead, many drivers will be forced out of the trade and those that do continue will be hit with huge costs. As a result of this, the prices paid for taxis by customers will be significantly increased at a time where the global pandemic has already caused severe hardship.”

In a statement, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham called on central Government to make more funds available. He said: “We know this is a major challenge for many individuals and businesses which is why we have always been clear with ministers that it must be accompanied by a fair package of financial support. While the Government has provided £120m, we are concerned that they have so far failed to agree to our request for additional support for those who will find it hardest to make the change.”

added to a ‘no-ride transportation?” list’.

“Over many Garelick said: years I have “I am proposing a witnessed theft, register to warn including bilking and advise drivers (non-payment), and operators of assault, murder individuals who and bullying. may pose a risk In some cases, to drivers. For London taxi drivers Steve Garelick communicate details of known those who book on behalf of others would find themselves bilkers and the locations they added to the no-ride list under travel, to warn others, but this my proposals, just as certain is not an exact science and addresses that continually many drivers still get caught show as high risk to drivers.” out.”

“Such a list would be He said some known available to drivers and troublemakers use assumed operators. Just as the names or get friends to book insurance industry holds for them, but those friends a database of drivers to could also see themselves

compare claims and driving history, I believe this is quite a reasonable notion.”

He said GMB surveys revealed that many drivers do not bother to report assault, non- payment, or other criminal behaviour because they do not want to lose time and money waiting to report crime, and even if they do the police say it is difficult to prove.

“I am not entirely sure where administration would sit for such a database, but the discussion must start and a solution would be of value to all. Drivers deserve to be as safe as anyone going about their daily work.”

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news

Leeds drivers stage protest against strict council policy on convictions Mark Bursa Taxi drivers in Leeds have staged a protest outside the Town Hall over local council policies they claim are too strict, and which the drivers say could cost them their livelihoods for relatively minor misdemeanours.

The drivers are protesting the Leeds City Council’s Suitability and Convictions Policy, which has been in effect since February 2020. Ahmed Hussain, chairman of Leeds Private Hire Driver Organisation (LPHDO), said the policy means drivers could lose their licence for “any slight wrongdoing”.

He said: “If I had a little argument with family or heated conversation and the next-door neighbour called the police, and I’m not charged just given a caution, the council can take my badge off me. We’re trying to highlight the problem with the policy.”

Drivers are also unhappy that they could lose their licence with as few as seven points on their driving licence, for minor traffic offences. The council’s Licensing Committee has recommended that the public should be consulted on the following new standards: u A pplications for a taxi or private hire driver licence be refused when an applicant has 7 or more points for minor convictions on their driving licence u E xisting licence holders reaching

7 or 8 points for minor convictions will receive a warning and may be required to attend training u E xisting licence holders reaching 9 or more points for minor convictions may have their licence refused or revoked.

Currently, taxi or private hire licences can be granted to drivers with fewer than 12 points on their driving licence.

Hussain said the drivers would stage more protests, including a drive-slowly protest, and these would continue until the policy was reversed.

Zahir Mahmood, vice-chairman of the Leeds Private Hire Drivers Association, claimed some of the proposed rules unfairly target black, Asian and minority ethnic drivers, saying the rules “treat us like criminals”.

New dress code for drivers as Preston revises rules for taxis and private hire Preston City Council has introduced a strict dress code for drivers of both hackney and private hire vehicles operating in the area.

Male drivers will be expected to wear long- or short-sleeved shirt and trousers, with the option of knee-length tailored shorts in warmer weather.

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Mahmood said the plans would make it “very, very hard” to get a licence in Leeds. “They’re already 700 drivers short in Leeds at the moment,” he said. “With this policy coming in you’re going to have more and more drivers being suspended, so when demand increases and life goes back to normal the demand will be there but there won’t be any private hire drivers left.”

Section 27 of the proposed new terms states a driver’s “character”, including their “attitude and temperament”, can be taken into account when assessing their suitability for the job.

In addition, Section 28 of the new rules states that drivers living out of the country for at least six months must produce some kind of certificate of good behaviour from the authorities of that country.

Female drivers have the option of a short or longsleeved blouse or shirt with either trousers or a kneelength skirt – or a dress. They will also be allowed to wear tailored shorts which come down at least as far as the knee.

The new clothing regulations form part of Preston’s new taxi licensing policy, which is being refreshed for the first time since 2013. Other aspects of the new licensing policy include longer bans for those convicted of criminal offences.

Some of the stipulations in the previous dress code for the city’s taxi drivers have been carried over into the latest version – including a ban on flip-flops, sandals without heel straps, and hoodies, shell suits and tracksuits.

Mahmood said this unfairly targets non-white drivers, adding: “Many of us have family abroad. We might go every three or four years, but when we do we like to spend more time with them. This is an insult to the BAME community.”

However, Leeds City Council said the rules were in the interest of public safety. In a policy statement, the council said: “The standards of safety and suitability are not set as a base minimum. They are set high to give the public the assurance it requires when using taxi services.

“The council does not have to strike an even balance between the driver’s right to work and the public’s right to protection. The public are entitled to be protected. This means that the council is entitled and bound to treat the safety of the public as the paramount consideration.”

It continued: “The licensing process places a duty on the council to protect the public. Therefore, it is essential that those seeking a living as a driver meet the required standards. As previous offending and other behaviour can be considered as a predictor in determining future behaviour, it is important that the council considers all relevant factors including previous convictions, cautions, complaints, failures to comply with licence conditions, and the time elapsed since these were committed.”

Also banned are items of sportswear, such as football or rugby kits including shirts and tracksuits.

There is also an expectation that clothing is kept “in a clean condition, free from holes, rips, or other damage” – and that drivers adhere to good standards of personal hygiene.

The revised standards were the subject of a public consultation last year. And the new rules were approved by the city council just before Christmas.

Among consultation responses from the taxi trade, 50% of private hire respondents approved of the new dress code, while 60% of Hackney respondents were in favour.

—Mark Bursa

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news

Scottish government PH & Taxi support fund ‘doesn’t go far enough’: trade union Mark Bursa Private hire drivers’ unions have expressed disappointment at the Scottish government’s Private Hire and Taxi Support Fund, claiming drivers will be pushed into further debt.

The Scottish government has set aside £28 million, which will see individual drivers being awarded £750, as well as top-up grants for vehicle owners and taxi operators.

The App Drivers and Couriers Union led a sit-in protest against the government after Christmas, complaining that the private hire trade had been excluded from earlier Covid support measures.

ADCU reps were called to an emergency meeting with Scottish Government officials to discuss their concerns, which has resulted in the new funds being made available. But the ACDU is not happy with the amount, saying it is “disappointed” with the package. ACDU claims the money does not cover drivers’ losses, and only drivers who previously received a grant will be eligible.

Eddie Grice, Chair of ADCU Scotland, said: “We welcome the news that our trade will receive some support, but are disappointed that the level of support doesn’t go far enough.

The figure of £28m sounds great for a headline, but it translates to just £750 for each driver and just £1,500 for an owner-driver. These figures don’t come close to mitigating the loss in costs that drivers have felt since midDecember. The Scottish Government has not gone far enough to support the trade here.”

ACDU had called for the Scottish Government to make a a one-off grant of £3,000 per driver plus top-ups for operators and vehicle owners.

Fenland taxi firm adds training academy to help speed up driver recruitment Mark Bursa A fenland taxi company has opened a new training academy in a bid to attract more drivers into the industry.

Daddy Cabs, based in March, Cambridgehire and around the Fens, has launched the DC Academy for private hire drivers, saying it hopes

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“£750 will help some drivers manage their debts a little bit, but it does very, very little in covering the losses they have experienced,” Grice added. “We are also disappointed to hear that most drivers won’t be paid these grants until February. Drivers need immediate and urgent cashflow support to be able to survive January and the fact that the money isn’t coming for another four to six weeks will only push drivers into further debt.”

He continued: “A further disappointment with the scheme is that drivers will only be

eligible for this support if they received a grant from the previous rounds. This means any new entrants to the trade that have only been trading since last year won’t be eligible.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are all too aware of the impact that Covid-19 has had – and continues to have – on business and the Scottish economy, including for taxi and private hire drivers.”

The government said it had provided a total of £107m in funding for the taxi trade since the start of the pandemic.

the move will “take away the fear” of becoming a taxi driver.

“There has always been a need to find new drivers, compounded with the Covid pandemic as we lost a lot of drivers,” said Simon Willey, new business manager at Daddy Cabs.

Willey said new entrants were put off by the time it takes to begin learning the trade due to the need to take a local knowledge test. Daddy Cabs has agreed with local authorities, including Fenland District Council, to defer the requirement for a knowledge test by six months.

“It was stopping new drivers getting behind the wheel,” Willey said. “From the date of when the application is done and licence

issued, the test can be deferred for six months.”

Applicants will be given tuition from more experienced taxi drivers as part of the academy training. Director Simon Stiff, who founded Daddy Cabs in 2013, will also help fund applications through the academy.

Daddy Cabs has around 25 drivers, but has always seen a steady flow of drivers both joining and leaving. Willey is confident the academy can help stabilise the turnover of drivers and could double the size of the fleet.

“Once we have a few applicants, it will go from strength to strength,” he said. “Ideally, it would be nice to have at least 50 drivers on the circuit through the academy.”

FEBRUARY 2022

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news

London mayor should back road pricing plan with EV investment, says Addison Lee Mark Bursa Addison Lee has called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to back up his plans to charge drivers on a penceper-mile basis with greater investment in electric vehicle infrastructure – and to clarify whether strict new proposed measures were designed to cut pollution or congestion.

Mayor Khan is proposing a new charging scheme to replace both Congestion Charge and ULEZ, under which drivers of “all but the cleanest vehicles” will initially be charged a daily fee of up to £2, with a pay-permile system introduced further in the future. A recent report commissioned

by City Hall found that a 27% reduction in London car traffic was required by 2030 to meet net-zero targets.

Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin said he supported that ambition, but disagreed with the Mayor’s approach.

“The current approach focuses on removing vehicles from London’s roads by increasing taxes on road use,” he said. “However, to truly remove pollution from the capital’s air the main focus should be supporting drivers to switch to full electric vehicles as soon as possible. We are doing our bit by electrifying our entire

fleet by 2023 – which will remove an estimated 20,000 tonnes of CO2 from London’s roads each year. We call on the Mayor to be clearer on whether his aim is to remove pollution or congestion.”

Griffin continued: “We urgently need an EV charging infrastructure revolution to ensure that fleets and private vehicle owners can shift to fully electric vehicles as soon as possible. We are encouraging

the Mayor to start talking to fleet operators and professional drivers to fully understand the importance of a more comprehensive rollout of EV infrastructure.”

The RAC also criticised the plan, calling it “poorly timed”, and stating that electric vehicles were still “too expensive for most people” and the proposed scheme charges would impact carers, tradespeople and nighttime economy staff. Nicholas Lyes,

Shell opens first all-electric charging station at West London location Shell has opened its first EV charging hub in the UK. At the former fuel station in Fulham, London, petrol and diesel pumps have been replaced with rapid charge points.

This is the first time Shell has converted one of its existing sites to cater solely for electric vehicles, and the site is serving as a global pilot scheme for the company.

Shell Fulham features nine high-powered, 175kW rapid charge points which can charge most vehicles from 0-80% within 10 minutes, three times faster than more widely used 50kW fast chargers.

István Kapitány, Shell’s global executive vice president for mobility, said: “EV drivers are looking for a charging experience that is as fast,

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convenient and comfortable as possible.”

He continued: “Shell Fulham joins our growing network of Shell Recharge sites at forecourts and other locations, our Ubitricity on-street charging network, and our Shell Recharge Solutions for homes and businesses as we increasingly help EV drivers to charge wherever they need it. It also gives us all a glimpse into the future of mobility.”

UK Transport Minister Trudy Harrison welcomed the move, saying: “With more people making the switch to EVs than ever before, this is exactly the type of facility we need to help make the transition as simple as possible.”

RAC head of roads policy, said: “Our research suggests fewer than a third of drivers in London expect to switch to an electric vehicle within the next five years and, at the same time, the mayor himself cannot commit to a zero-emission TfL bus fleet until 2037. At a time when the basic cost of living for Londoners is soaring, these proposals seem to be poorly timed, so we strongly urge the mayor to think again instead of defaulting to extracting more money from the pockets of London’s drivers.”

Khan said he was prepared to act in order to reduce emissions. “We have too often seen measures to tackle air pollution and the climate emergency delayed around the world because it’s viewed as being too hard or politically inconvenient, but I’m not willing to put off action we have the ability to implement here in London,” he said.

Road user charging would be a “simple and fair scheme” that could replace existing congestion charge and the Ultra Low Emission Zone, according to the City Hall report.

Transport for London and the mayor said there would be a public consultation on the proposals, with the chosen measure potentially implemented by May 2024.

Shell Fulham features a sustainable design including a timber canopy with built-in solar panels, and roof and shop windows that employ double glazing with high insulating properties.

Like all of Shell’s EV chargers in the UK, including those at 119 Shell forecourts, the chargers at Shell Fulham run on 100% certified renewable electricity. The hub includes a seating area, free wifi, a Costa Coffee cafe and a Waitrose shop.

EV sales in the UK are accelerating rapidly. In December 2021, 27,705 EVs were sold, making up 25.5% of all new registrations that month.

Shell has previously stated an ambition to install 50,000 on-street chargers in the UK by 2025 through its Ubitricity division, and in July 2021 it announced that up to 800 Shell electric vehicle charging points would be installed at 100 Waitrose sites across the UK by 2025.

Shell plans to expand its EV charging network to more than 5,000 charge points on forecourts and in new locations by 2025.

FEBRUARY 2022

news

Rental specialist Sixt offers on-demand ride-hailing service in Rome via Sixt app Mark Bursa German car rental giant Sixt is expanding its Sixt Ride European ride-hailing service in Italy. Sixt is partnering with Rome taxi company itTaxi in Italy to offer on-demand taxi services in the Italian capital via the Sixt app.

The move signals greater convergence of the rental and taxi sectors under the “mobility” banner. Konrad Thoma, senior vice president mobility products at Sixt, said: “Residents of Rome as well as travellers to the city can now access the taxi service via the Sixtapp, which provides them with an integrated offering for their mobility at the touch of a button, seamlessly and all via one app.”

New Sixt Ride customers anywhere in the world can claim

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from a 15% discount by typing the code STARTNOW into their App when they register.

Sixt Ride gives customers worldwide access to a comprehensive network of taxi, limousine and chauffeur services.

By collaborating with regional

partners, Sixt Ride provides one of the world’s largest offerings of its kind.

Customers can order taxi rides on demand or book transfers in advance in more than 250 major cities in 50 countries around the world, including US and Europe.

In Italy, Sixt Ride has up until now included offerings for pre-booked transfer and limousine services.

The new collaboration with itTaxi means customers in Rome or travelling to Rome from abroad can now also hail on-demand taxis via Sixt Ride without having to worry about paying cash in the local currency or downloading local ridehailing apps.

The service is available via the Sixt app, which provides access to more than 1 million drivers worldwide, available for ridehailing on demand or booked in advance.

Expanding its network in Italy means Sixt is driving forward the international expansion of its mobility platform, One. This also includes products for vehicle rental, car sharing and car subscriptions.

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news

Bolt raises £524 million in funding to drive expansion into grocery deliveries and e-mobility Mark Bursa Ride hailing company Bolt has raised a further £524 million in funds to help it expand into new sectors such as electric scooter rentals and grocery deliveries.

Estonia-based Bolt, founded in 2013 as an Uber rival, has raised the new investment from US venture capital firm Sequoia Capital and retirement investor Fidelity, as well as other investment companies. Bolt claims the new round of investment leaves it valued at £6 billion In total, Bolt has now raised around £1.44 billion.

Bolt launched in London in 2019. It has expanded into other cities and towns, but only offers a ride hailing service in the UK. Now it could launch e-scooter and e-bike rentals in the UK, along with a takeaway delivery service, which competes with the likes of Just East, and a 15-minute grocery delivery service called Bolt Market, currently operating in 10 European countries. The plan is to expand the service to hundreds of stores by the end of 2022.

CEO and founder Markus Villig said: “Over the past eight years we have developed products that offer better and more affordable alternatives for almost every purpose a private car serves. We’re partnering with

cities to help people make the switch towards light vehicles such as scooters and e-bikes and shared mobility options like ride-hailing and car-sharing to transform urban areas back into sustainable, people-friendly spaces.”

Uber rival Bolt plans to launch in Hull despite ongoing driver shortages Bolt has is preparing to launch operations in Hull. The ridehailing operator has taken out advertising on Facebook, asking licenced private hire drivers to sign up in the Yorkshire city.

Bolt is offering drivers 0% commission for the first month of its operations rather than the regular 15%, though it has not yet specified a launch date for the service. Bolt has held a

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private hire licence in the city since May 2021.

Bolt currently operates in 15 UK cities, including London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham and Birmingham.

It is continuing to grow through

launching direct subsidiaries in cities, unlike rival Uber, which stopped opening direct subsidiaries in 2017 and is now growing via its Local Cab service, under which jobs are given to local private hire

operators that use the Autocab dispatch platform. Uber bought Autocab in 2020.

Bolt’s move comes as Hull is currently experiencing a shortage in taxi drivers, which means customers are having to book well in advance. Local operators have lost drivers due to the pandemic, Brexit and other factors. Hull Cars owner Chris Davidson earlier told local media his firm had lost about 150 drivers since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, saying drivers had quit during lockdowns to take up delivery and other jobs, while Brexit and ongoing local traffic problems were contributing to the drop in numbers.

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news

South Staffordshire council hands over all taxi and private hire licensing to Wolverhampton Mark Bursa South Staffordshire council has handed over its taxi and private hire licensing to Wolverhampton council, which it believes is better equipped for the process and changes within the industry. Wolverhampton council will take over licensing in the region for a minimum of three years, it was decided at a council meeting before Christmas.

A South Staffordshire council report said: “The taxi market is undergoing significant change in the same way that licensing authorities are. This has been further accelerated through the Covid pandemic.” The report said key challenges include increasing cross-border hire based on apps, and the need for greater enforcement resources to be devoted to taxi licensing as a result of various investigations into child sexual exploitation.

“App-based booking systems,

supported by case law, make the traditional view of a private hire operator in an office with a phone located within the boundary of the licensing authority outdated,” the report continued. “The Covid pandemic has forced the way we do business with the trade to find online rather than face to face solutions to processing applications for licenses.

It has also created additional urgency

in reducing the financial burdens on both the council and the taxi trade.”

Wolverhampton Council (CWC) has embraced and dealt with these changes. The level of process change and investment by CWC, embracing new technology for service delivery and taking into account the new technology used by the taxi trade, along with a robust approach to compliance

and enforcement is impressive.”

The report went on to highlight the financial struggles that Staffordshire Council is likely to face in relation to taxi and private hire licensing.

“The council has been struggling to balance income and expenditure on taxi licensing for the past five years, and this will increasingly become more difficult with a balance shortfall of £25,000 expected by 2023.

“Government and the Local Government Association advice and guidance, supported by case law, encourages local authorities to ensure that all administration and enforcement costs of a licensing system are met by the beneficiaries of the system and not at the expense of the general taxpayer.”

The report concluded: “If the taxi licensing function is not delegated to CWC there will need to be a significant increase in taxi licensing fees in order to sustain a balance in expenditure and income.”

Portsmouth to open bus lanes to private hire drivers in three-month trial from March Portsmouth council is to open bus lanes in the city to all private hire drivers in a three-month trial. The move has been welcomed by drivers, who previously were excluded from the lanes, while hackney carriages were allowed to use them.

Around 1,000 private hire vehicles are registered in the city compared to the 214 hackney cabs. Previous attempts were made in 2011 and 2015 to allow them access to the bus lanes, but these were thwarted by opposition from Hampshire Police, bus operators and cyclists.

This time the council has ignored the cycle lobby’s claims that a “three-fold increase” in the number of cars permitted in the lanes could endanger the lives of cyclists.

However, cabinet member for transport Lynne Stagg said the council would be “reactive to evidence” during the trial, which is set to start in March and run for a minimum of three months. Cllr Stagg said: “Bus lanes are meant to be for buses and we want to

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encourage more people to use buses. But as long as it doesn’t slow them down then that’s reasonably OK.” She said any future decision on making the temporary permission permanent was entirely up to the drivers. “The onus is on private hire drivers. If safety is compromised, if casualties increase, if there are more complaints then that’s it – the trial fails.”

The trial has been welcomed by Cllr Scott Payter-

Harris, who has long called for it, but he said a period of more than three months would be more effective. “This is a good move forward for the private hire trade. I do think for a more complete dataset we realistically need to be looking at a minimum of six months so you can see drivers’ patterns and behaviour.”

—Mark Bursa

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news

Motor Fuel Group to add 60 more rapid charging forecourt hubs in 2022 Mark Bursa Forecourt operator Motor Fuel Group (MFG) has announced plans to open 60 rapid-charging hubs across the UK before the end of 2022, offering a total of 350 new ultra-rapid chargers. These join the existing network of more than 100 existing MFG sites that had chargers installed by the end of 2021.

The new charging sites will be a mixture of ‘dualfuel’ locations with charging points alongside petrol and diesel pumps at existing forecourts and new EVonly sites with multiple charge points. MFG said it would continue to focus on both types of sites.

MFG’s hubs each have between four and eight 150kW chargers, which can add up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes, depending on the charging capability of the car. The company says these will be augmented with 300kW chargers in future as battery technology improves.

The company does not require any sign-ups or subscription to use its chargers. Users can pay with a contactless card or using a smartphone app. MFG currently charges 39p per kWh at its stations, all of which use certified 100% renewable energy.

MFG opened its flagship charging hub in Putney,

Uber adds data privacy section to app Mark Bursa Uber has added new data privacy features to its app, to help users understand and control how the ride-hailing giant uses their data.

The new Uber Privacy Centre is an in-app hub, located in the settings menu of the Uber Rider, Driver, and Eats apps. The Privacy Centre includes a number of features, including:

Privacy Overview, which describes Uber’s approach to collecting and using personal data, answers users’ most frequent questions and shows how Uber uses each of the types of data that it collects.

Download Your Data, which allows users to download a copy of personal information that Uber collects when they use it.

Explore Your Data, which provides a summary of

New Glasgow PH firm Deuce gets green light from council A new Glasgow private hire firm has been given the green light to start operating after city councillors approved a three-year licence.

Deuce Private Hire Limited will be based in

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London, in October 2021, featuring eight 150kW charging points, in addition to several petrol pumps and other conveniences for drivers. It has also recently opened an EV-only hub on the A56 in

Stretford, Manchester (pictured).

Last year MFG pledged to invest £400m in 150kW and 350kW chargers, aiming to install 3,000 at 500 sites across the UK by the end of 2030.

each user’s use of Uber apps, including how long they’ve been an Uber user, number of trips and orders, rating, and account profile information.

View as Driver, which shows riders the information seen by their drivers so they can be confident that Uber is sharing only what is necessary to enable their ride.

View What Powers Your Experience, which shows riders how Uber uses

Somerset Place and operate a 24-hour, seven-daya-week private hire service. The company has been set up by former telecommunications and IT executive Shabna Ahmed, who will work as the sole director.

She said: “I have had experts advise me on the best method and equipment to use, how to handle complaints, find a suitable office and find

their data to enable each step in their trips.

Personalized Ads and Data Settings, which allow users to choose how Uber uses their data for targeted advertising and analytics.

Uber Eats and Postmates Ad Settings, which allow users to choose how we personalize ads within the Uber Eats and Postmates apps.

“We’ve made privacy a shared responsibility of all employees and maintain a robust privacy review process that applies throughout the entire lifecycle of a product, feature, or program,” Uber said in a statement.

experienced staff to make sure this business is successful for Glasgow and ourselves.”

Licensing officials dismissed objections from Glasgow Taxis, which said it had concerns about over-provision, and over whether the new company would be taking bookings for drivers licensed by other local authorities.

—Mark Bursa

FEBRUARY 2022

Professional Driver Car of the Year Judging Days Tuesday, August 23 & Wednesday, August 24 Epsom Racecourse, Surrey www.prodrivermags.com/car-of-the-year-home

2022 DIARY DATES

Professional Driver QSi Awards Tuesday, November 29 Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales www.prodrivermags.com/qsi-awards-home

news analysis Motorists are demoted below pedestrians and cyclists in the road user hierarchy of the new Highway Code. Mark Bursa explains

Two wheels good, two legs better S IGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE “RULES OF THE road” came into force on Saturday, January 29, when a major update to the Highway Code went live.

The changes are significant, and mean that behaviour and priorities that drivers have taken for granted over many years have been turned on their head. The changes are “advisory”, so failing to obey them will not lead to prosecutions, fines or points on your licence. “Non-compliance will not result in a fine,” the Department for Transport confirmed.

But they mean other road users – especially pedestrians and cyclists – will expect to be treated differently, so it’s best to understand the changes to avoid road rage incidents, or worse, inadvertently causing collisions or injuries because you’re not doing what someone else will now expect you to do.

At the heart of the changes is a new hierarchy of road users. The motorist has been relegated in the pecking order of road users, with pedestrians promoted to the top of the pile, followed by cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists – then car drivers.

The idea behind the new hierarchy is that with motorists have the greatest potential to harm other road users, thus they should have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to others.

That’s a noble aim – but looking at some of the changes, it’s clear that there is potential for, in the short term at least, an increase in accidents, not the hoped-for reduction.

For example, drivers turning into a side road from a main road should now give way to any pedestrians waiting to cross the side road. Previously, the pedestrian should wait until the car has turned before carrying on along the pavement, unless the pedestrian had already started to cross.

The new rules mean pedestrians now have pri-

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ority if they have started to cross the road or not.

What this means is a car may now have to stop on a busy main road before it can turn off – and that leaves the stationary vehicle vulnerable to a rearend shunt if following vehicles are too close, or travelling too fast. And if you run into the back of a car that’s turning, it’s your fault.

So it’s important to be aware of pedestrian behaviour. What looks like jaywalking is now the pedestrian’s right of way.

The changes have inevitably stirred up a hornet’s nest of opinions on social media – cyclists and motorists are not happy bedfellows in the UK, unlike in other European nations such as the Netherlands or Denmark, where two wheels and four happily coexist in calm harmony.

So it’s probably best to avoid the Twitterati, and instead listen to calmer voices, such as the motoring associations, which have welcomed the changes.

RAC’s Nicholas Lye said the changes “should make the roads safer for the most vulnerable road users, in particular those walking and cycling”. And AA president Edmund King said: “The changes are a reminder that all road users have a responsibility to look after one another.”

King added that more people cycling had “transformed road use to some extent” and that the High-

way Code needed to be updated to reflect that.

Within the Highway Code there are eight major changes. As well as the extra priority for pedestrians, cyclists get more too. Cyclists traveling straight ahead at junctions have priority over motorists who might be turning.

So if there is a cyclist waiting at lights on the inside of the road and looking to go straight ahead while a motorist is looking to turn left, you must let the cyclist proceed before starting to turn.

Cyclists are one of the prime beneficiaries of the changes, and with good reason. The increase in cycling’s popularity has led to an increase in serious injuries.

In the past 5 years, serious injuries to cyclists in collisions with vehicles rose by 26%. According to data from Merlin Cycles, the evening rush hour is when cyclists are most commonly injured on roads.

Serious injuries are more likely to happen on urban roads, but fatalities more commonly happen in rural areas. And a staggering 38% of all cyclist casualties happen at staggered junctions.

“Out of 11,348 incidents the top-reported contributory factor was a road-user, ‘failing to look properly,” said Rick Robson of Merlin Cycles. A total of 3,782 pedal cyclists were seriously injured.

“Not performing the necessary checks before a manoeuvre means that it’s easy for drivers to fail to spot an approaching bike rider,” he added.

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news analysis

New hierarchy of priority on UK roads 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

The most contentious changes are advice to cyclists to ride toward the middle of the road rather than close to the pavement, as well as new advice about riding two abreast.

The new guidance to cyclists is that they should ride in the centre of a lane on quieter roads, in slower-moving traffic, and at the approach to junctions in order to make themselves as clearly visible as possible.

Two-abreast riding was previously discouraged.

The previous Highway Code Rule 66 stated: “You should… never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends.”

But the new rule says cyclists “can ride 2 abreast” and that “it can be safer… to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders.”

This is not carte blanche for cyclists to hold up the traffic indefinitely. The Highway Code goes on to state: “People cycling are asked to be aware of people driving behind them and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when it’s safe to do so.”

This “when it’s safe to do so” is up to cyclists to determine – and this is where there is a potential flashpoint between cyclists and motorists, if cyclists believe they can remain in the centre of the lane indefinitely.

These aspects of the changes have provoked the angriest responses. Howard Cox, co-founder of FairFuel UK, said: “These new rules will put lives at risk rather than make our roads safer. The guidance that drivers should keep a minimum of 1.5m

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from a cyclist when overtaking doesn’t take account of speed and conditions. If the traffic is slow, a distance of 1m is safe. At 60mph, it is not.”

He continued: “Advising cyclists to go into the middle of the road doesn’t make any sense. It will result in road rage and more exhaust emissions as a result of cars sitting behind them in queues of congestion.”

The government has recognised this – in a consultation document, released last year, it said that some respondents felt that this change “would encourage cyclists to hog the road and that they should stay on the left for their own safety”.

The consultation concluded that “it is vital that the changes are communicated to drivers so cyclists do not face intimidation and aggression from drivers who wrongly perceive them as impeding traffic flow or being obstructive”.

Other changes involve the clearance motorists should give when overtaking. Motorists should leave 2m of space when overtaking “people walking in the road” and 1.5m when overtaking cyclists travelling at up to 30mph, while giving them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.”

Motorists will now be able to cross the doublewhite line in order to overtake someone cycling or riding a horse, but only if they are travelling at 10mph or less. Otherwise, the advice is “wait behind and do not overtake”.

The DfT is planning a £500,000 public awareness campaign, but with typical inefficiency, that had not started even though the new rules were already in place, ahead of the publication of the hard copy version of the new Highway Code (it is availa-

Pedestrians Cyclists Horse riders Motorcyclists Cars/taxis Vans/minibuses Buses/trucks

ble already online). Some publicity would be timely: a January 2022 AA survey of more than 13,700 drivers showed that 33% were unaware of the changes.”

Meanwhile, our advice is to remain calm, and be more aware of what’s going on around your vehicle.

Make sure you perform the necessary checks before a manoeuvre to make sure you notice a bike rider or pedestrian. So always check blind spots, slow down and always signal when turning. Carry out a thorough traffic check - including the pavement.

If the driver spots a cyclist approaching, or a pedestrian crossing a side street, they should never assume that the person will stop and let them turn.

The safest course of action to prevent a crash is for the driver to come to a complete stop.

Finally, another common cause of collision is drivers opening their car door into the path of a cyclist. The AA has reported that more than 700 cyclists have been injured, and two killed, by car doors being opened by negligent drivers. This sudden obstacle is nearly impossible for cyclists to avoid and can cause serious injury.

Motorists should always check their door mirror or look over their shoulder before exiting the vehicle. Using the “Dutch reach”, where you use your hand furthest from the door handle to open the door, is advised, as it forces your head to turn and makes it more likely that you will see a cyclist approaching from behind the car.

You may disagree with the changes, but bear in mind you’re not likely to come off worse in a collision with a cyclist or a pedestrian. That’s why the changes are being made, so make sure you’re aware of them.

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Dp

Delivery Point

2022 | ces report

Thinking out of the box Mark Bursa

A

s the traditional motor show fades into

folk memory, the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has become the number one showcase for the latest automotive technology.

Even with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic forcing some manufacturers to “go virtual” with their product launches, the event is still the best place

to identify future trends in mobility. Technology companies are increasingly eyeing the auto industry as the next frontier for communications, infotainment and connectivity – all of which are crucial to the industry’s enduring ‘holy grail’ – self-driving cars.

The focus is, as always, on urban areas, as that is where autonomous vehicles are likely to play the most significant role. Taxis, ride-sharing and, especially, deliveries appear to be the main focus of AV activity.

The AV as “box on wheels” is always a feature of CES, and there were several cube-shaped debutants at the 2022 event.

Ree Leopard Israeli-based Ree Automotive revealed an autonomous urban delivery concept vehicle based on a new modular EV platform. The concept is aimed at last-mile delivery companies, delivery fleet operators and e-retailers.

The 2-tonne concept vehicle is 3,400mm long with front-wheel steer and rear-wheel drive.

It has a 50kWh battery capacity. All steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control components are placed into a compact module in each corner of the vehicle between the chassis and the wheel.

Drive-by-wire technology controls all aspects of the drive, and as a result the vehicle has a completely flat floor. It’s narrow, too – just 1,400mm wide – for enhanced manoeuvrability.

Udelv Transporter California-based start-up Udelv also showed its take on an autonomous delivery vehicle. The Udelv Transporter is designed to handle multiple deliveries – up to 80 stops per cycle. Goods such as parcels can be placed in separate partitions, and the vehicle can autonomously travel over a set route of up to 300 miles depending on battery pack.

Udelv claims it has 1,000 orders for the Transporter, which uses Intel’s Mobileye self-driving systems. Udelv said it aimed to start production in 2023 and have 50,000 Transporters operating on public roads by 2028.

LG Omnipod LG is the one Korean industrial giant that has steered clear of the automotive sector as anything other than a tech supplier – but at CES it revealed the Omnipod, a vehicle it has designed itself. The concept is basically a mobile personal living space, designed to function as a home office, entertainment centre or lounge. The concept showcases in-car infotainment systems that can be controlled via smartphone or voice command through the LG ThinQ app, a smart home solution service. “Adding cars to the LG ThinQ ecosystem, will continue to lay out new customer experiences and blur boundaries between spaces, so that user experiences at home can be seamlessly extended to cars,” LG Electronics Chief Executive Officer William Cho said.

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ces report | 2022

Sony Vision S-02 LG is not the only global tech company making a major play into the auto sector. Sony actually showed a range of cars, a sign of how serious the company is about getting into automotive.

Sony rolled out a new concept SUV called the Vision-S 02, alongside the Vision S-EV saloon shown in 2021. And it backed up the cars with the announcement that it would this year launch Sony Mobility, a new company that will focus on EVs – and that could lead to a full range of Sony cars.

“We are exploring a commercial launch of Sony’s EV,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, the company’s chairman and CEO, adding that he wanted to find out how a “creative entertainment company” can redefine mobility.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Specialist suppliers such as Qualcomm are playing an increasing role in helping automakers develop new technologies, especially in terms of connectivity and in-car displays.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon systems include a ‘Digital Chassis’ of software to control automated driving and connectivity, using 5G technology alongside Bluetooth and precise positioning. The system also includes the Snapdragon Cockpit, a digital display and infotainment system.

Volvo and Honda have already announced plans to integrate this digital cockpit into upcoming electric vehicles, and Renault, which has already committed to bringing the cockpit into future cars, is planning to use the digital chassis.

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2022 | ces report

Mercedes Vision EQXX Automakers largely stayed away through Covid fears, including Mercedes, which nonetheless launched a luxury four-door EV concept called Vision EQXX, which Mercedes claims is the first EV to break the 1,000km range barrier (621 miles).

The Vision EQXX is a minimalist concept, where its features have been tailored to maximise range. It has a highly aerodynamic four-door body with squared-off ‘kamm tail’, and the styling lacks most contemporary Mercedes design features, including the traditional grille. Inside, a full-width 47.5in digital display spans the front of the car, while the car has AI-generated expressive voice models – giving it a “personality”.

BMW iX Flow BMW showed a version of its iX electric SUV with an innovative paint finish that can change colour. The BMW iX Flow is laminated with an electrophoretic film containing microcapsules the diameter of a human hair.

Each capsule contains differently charged white, black or coloured particles which become visible when an electric field is applied, creating what is known as an Electronic Paper Display (EPD) – the same principle as used in e-readers such as the Kindle Paperwhite.

The prototype can only change between black and white, allowing users to give their car a personalised look to match their mood. BMW also showed an ultra-high-resolution 8K ‘Theatre Screen’, a wide rear entertainment screen that descends from the car’s headliner to keep back seat passengers entertained.

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FEBRUARY 2022

ces report | 2022 Togg SUV Concept Togg is a new name in the car world – the company is a joint venture between a number of Turkish industrial corporations.

It’s highly ambitious too, with the goal of becoming a “Turkish Tesla”, producing a million vehicles in five segments by 2030 – with the first

Chrysler Airflow Chrysler has now abandoned the European market, but versions of this handsome electric SUV, the Chrysler Airflow, are likely to form part of the ranges of other Stellantis brands in the future.

FEBRUARY 2022

model launched in 2022. The company claims it will “bring together advanced electric, autonomous and connected technologies within one design sphere”.

The Togg SUV has been designed by Italian stylist Pininfarina, and it will be followed by a C-segment saloon and hatchback, a smaller SUV and a medium-sized MPV, all using the same basic platform.

Chrysler has revived the historic Airflow name, first used on a streamlined, art deco-influenced car in 1934. The Chrysler brand will launch an EV in 2025, carrying over some of the Airflow’s design, and by 2028, it’ll be an all-electric company.

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road test

Mark Bursa

BMW 745Le xDrive

All time high W

E’LL LOOK BACK on the BMW 745Le as a car for its times – the car that became almost the only option for chauffeurs looking to licence a new luxury saloon after TfL moved the goalposts and diesels became impossible to register.

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FEBRUARY 2022

road test

In a way, we’re already looking back. The fact that the 745Le is a plug-in hybrid meant that after January 1, 2018, only “zero emissions capable” cars could be registered for private hire use in London. Which meant no diesel S-Classes, 7-series or A8s, and only plug-in hybrids were allowed.

Of the three main German players, only BMW maintained decent availability over the “PHEV era”. In mid-2019, BMW upgraded the 740Le PHEV to the 745Le, with the petrol engine changed from a 2.0-litre fourcylinder to an in-line 3.0-litre six, giving added smoothness and more torque and a pure electric range of up to 36 miles.

With a price roughly in line with the diesel equivalent, the 745Le became the only game in town. And even the loss of C-charge exemption for PHEVs last October hasn’t dampened enthusiasm for the car. Now, with an all-

electric i7 on the horizon for launch in late 2022, the PHEV era will start drawing to a close. Nevertheless, the 745Le remains an option, especially for chauffeurs whose workload includes long-distance work.

The long wheelbase, all-wheel drive BMW 745Le xDrive offers lively performance, with a 0-62mph time of 5.3sec. You can drive it in full electric mode at speeds of up to 68mph.

The six-cylinder engine has a maximum output of 286hp, while the electric motor offers a rated output of 113hp. With the Driving Experience Control switch set to Sport mode, total power of 394hp is available, while the maximum combined torque is up to 600Nm. Indeed, the car is impressively smooth and quiet, even when the petrol continued on next page

ProDriver TESTED 33.5mpg / 34.8mph jan 2022

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road test

BMW 745Le xDrive

continued from previous page engine kicks in. The ability to pull away silently when fully charged and in EV mode is a real advantage for those making stealthy early-morning pick-ups.

Our test car is finished in an elegant dark blue metallic, which makes a subtle change from black or silver. The interior is familiar, and largely unchanged since the current generation 7-series hit the showrooms in 2015. Only the displays received a minor upgrade in 2019, when the 7-series received its “big grille” external makeover.

The satnav screen perhaps looks a little small by today’s standards, especially compared to the massive digital panels of the latest MercedesBenz S-Class. But the system works very well, with accurate mapping of traffic jams and hold-ups, and a still-excellent Google-based search facility making it easy to input destinations including restaurants and office premises.

Driver and passenger comfort remains as impressive as ever, though we missed the optional front massage seats, not fitted to this vehicle.

BMW has taken a minimal approach to specification for the chauffeur market – partly as its hand has been forced by the ongoing microchip shortage that has hit supplies of many models. So there’s no adaptive control on this car, and no head-up display.

We’d add both of these. The HUD is something that really ought to be standard on a car of this price, given its widespread availability these days.

The information on the dashboard is not as easy to

data price as tested warranty insurance group ved

£98,600 36 months / unlimited miles 50 C

performance engine

2,998cc straight-6 petrol w/electric motor

8-speed steptronic, AWD 394hp combined torque 600Nm 0-62mph 5.3sec top speed 155mph combined fuel economy 134.5mpg CO2 emissions 52g/km zero-emissions range 32-34 miles transmission

read as when it’s projected on to the windscreen.

And the adaptive cruise is one of the best we’ve driven, remaining very progressive when choosing to slow down. You might not use it all the time, but it really comes into its own through a contraflow or in heavy traffic. Again, a feature that should arguably be standard.

Is there anything not to like? A couple of points.

One is the reduced boot capacity. The battery pack reduces the boot space from 515 litres to 420, and it actually changes the shape of the space, making it shallower, but with a flatter floor. The ProDriver test suitcases fit, but there’s not a lot of room for much else, especially with two charging cables in separate bags that need to be accommodated in the boot too. This might be a problem if passengers have two large cases each.

The other limiting factor is the size of the fuel tank. Full to the brim, and with a full electric charge, you might squeak around 350 miles out of

the 745Le, and with careful driving and a light foot, a journey from Weybridge in Surrey to Newcastleupon-Tyne was achieved without the need to refuel.

But it’s no match for a 730Ld, which can do the same journey both ways on a single tank of diesel.

It’ll be interesting to see if the i7 will be able to pass our “Tyne test”!

In terms of fuel economy, the 745Le came close to matching the diesel. Over 3,333 miles of motoring, the overall mpg figure was 33.5 at an average speed of 34.8mph. By way of comparison, we achieved 32.9mpg in a 730Ld back in 2019, albeit at a lower average speed of 25mph.

Of those 3,333 miles, 421 were completed in electric mode – around one-eighth of the total.

More shorter, local trips would increase that if more frequent charges were made – but if, like us, there’s a lot of long-distance driving in your average working cycle, don’t expect anything like the quoted mpg figures.

combined power

dimensions length width height wheelbase fuel tank loadspace

28

5,260mm 1,902mm 1,479mm 3,210mm 46 litres 420 litres

verdict

O

VER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE BMW 7-SERIES HAS STEADILY CLOSED THE GAP TO its main rival, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, slowly eroding the residual prejudice that has set the three-pointed star just above its Bavarian rival.

The 745Le has effectively bridged the gap over the past two years as Mercedes has not been able to offer a London-licensable PHEV, with the new S580e only just coming available now.

The 745Le offers a high level of passenger comfort and on-road refinement, and I think we’re used to the bigger grille now. In terms of fuel economy, it matches the diesel.

We’d like to have seen a bigger satnav screen as the system is so useable. But it’s understandable that, with an all-new 7-Series already under development, BMW did not carry out a major redesign of the dashboard at a mid-life facelift.

The only downsides are limited range, so you’ll be filling up more regularly, and a loss of boot space – though it’s not as bad as some hybrids.

FEBRUARY 2022

CHAUFFEUR THE NICEST CLIENTS AND EARN MORE Mercedes S-Class, V-Class & E-Class chauffeurs, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

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first drive

BMW i4 eDrive 40 & BMW iX xDrive 40

BMW iX xDrive 40

The new wave...

BMW i4 eDrive 40

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FEBRUARY 2022

first drive

Mark Bursa

data: BMW iX xDRIVE40 price as tested

£69,905 36 months/unlimited miles A

warranty ved

performance Twin electric motors, AWD Single-speed 326hp 630Nm Lithium ion, 232Ah 71.0kWh 31 mins (150kW) 8hr (11kW) 11kW [ac] 150kW [dc] 257 miles

powertrain transmission system power system torque battery energy capacity recharge (0-80%) recharge (0-80%) max charge rate range

dimensions 4,953mm 1,197mm

length width

1,695mm 3,000mm 500 litres

height wheelbase loadspace

O

N A BRIGHT SPRING MORNING IN LONDON NINE YEARS AGO, BMW SHOWED US THE FUTURE. We gathered at a venue on the banks of the Thames, as BMW treated the press to its big reveal – the first fully electric, production BMW.

continued on next page

data: BMW i4 eDRIVE40 price as tested warranty ved

£53,405 36 months/unlimited miles A

performance powertrain transmission system power system torque battery energy capacity recharge (0-80%) recharge (0-80%) max charge rate range

Single electric motor, RWD Single-speed 340hp 430Nm Lithium ion, 210.6Ah 80.7kWh 31 mins (200kW) 8.5hr (11kW) 11kW [ac] 200kW [dc] 365 miles

dimensions length width height wheelbase loadspace

FEBRUARY 2022

4,783mm 1,852mm 1,448mm 2,856mm 470 litres

31

first drive

BMW i4 eDrive 40 & BMW iX xDrive 40

continued from previous page It was called i3, a compact and futuristic city car that looked just like we expected an electric car to look like. And it’s proved to be a durable little car, too – nine years later, you can still buy one from your BMW dealer.

What didn’t happen was the expected torrent of follow-up electric vehicles. But no. Rather than further ‘i’ models, BMW’s engineers focused on hybrid versions of traditional models – to considerable success.

But back in Munich, the engineers were beavering away on EV research and development.

Because for all the i3’s charm, it wasn’t really a “proper” BMW. It was a foot in the door – but BMW wasn’t ready to make the big EV play.

And now it is.

This time, we’re on a wet and windy Farnborough airfield, but we’re about to get a first drive of the first two of BMW’s second wave of EVs – the iX SUV and the i4 sports saloon. And this time, it’s serious.

These two cars are the start of not so much a wave as a tsunami of new electric BMWs. In fact there are nine models in the pipeline between now and 2025, including fully-electric cars in the 5-series and 7-series class, called, as expected, i5 and i7.

Worldwide, BMW expects to sell 4.6 million fully electric vehicles within the next 10 years – an average of 460,000 per year and a huge increase from the 40,000 or so i3s it has been selling in recent times.

A new small car range called i1 and iX1 (for the crossover variant) will replace the doughty i3, and will compete directly with Volkswagen’s ID.3. A replacement i3 will be a larger car in the 3-series mould. We’ve already seen a third electric model, the iX3 compact SUV, and a large iX5 SUV is also on the way, based on the iNext concept we saw last year. An iX7 seven-seater is also rumoured.

These won’t replace petrol and diesel models, but will run alongside as a parallel “i” range – just as VW is doing with its ID EVs. With lightweight carbon fibre bodystructures and very advanced electric drivetrains, BMW is hoping to up the ante in terms of performance.

Engineers mutter darkly that the i7 will be capable of up to 460 miles on a single charge – impressive performance that will allow long distance travel without reliance on expensive charging networks.

The two cars we drove at Farnborough are very different – and demonstrate how well BMW has grasped the EV nettle without compromising the things that people like about its cars. Precisionengineered petrol and diesels may be missing, but these cars are not going to compromise BMW’s reputation as “ultimate driving machines”.

The i4 saloon is a classic BMW performance saloon. Its target is the top-selling Tesla 3. The kidney grille has changed, becoming angular and

32

opaque, but i4 is still recognisably a BMW. BMW describes it as a “statement vehicle” and, while it’s a little small in the back for chauffeuring, it’s a heck of a sign of things to come.

It offers a range that’s as good as anything on the market at present – 365 miles on a single charge. It’s capable of rapid charging from DC charging stations with an output of up to 200kW – not as good as the 350kW capability of some VW Group and Hyundai/Kia models, but rapid enough to allow a 10-minute top-up to deliver 102 miles of range on the i4 eDrive 40 version. Using a home charging wall-box, it takes 8.5 hours to recharge from empty to 100%.

The i4 eDrive 40 model will be the best seller, with a price of £51,095 on the road, a £7,000 premium over the cheapest equivalent diesel 420d Gran Coupe. Despite rapidly rising volumes, EVs still carry a purchase premium.

The i4’s interior is refreshingly traditional, apart from the single wide digital panel that carries satnav and dashboard imagery. This highresolution screen was first shown at the CES show last year, and here it is on a production car less than a year later. You’ll be delighted to learn it has a rotary/touch input device, so you won’t have to relay on a touch screen.

It’s enormously engaging to drive – by some distance the most driver-focused EV we’ve yet driven. This is because BMW has not abandoned its impressive chassis engineering skills. The i4’s chassis is extremely sophisticated, with air suspension at the rear and a very low centre of gravity thanks to the low-mounted battery pack.

It’s every inch a real BMW, which I guess is the statement BMW is making.

The iX is a different animal. It’s not a looker – again, it has a brutalist version of the kidney grille, applied to a rather humdrum SUV bodyshell.

The good news is that it’s roomy – closer to X5 than X3 in terms of interior space, with a generous boot. Given the lack (until the arrival of i5, Mercedes EQE and others) of electric executive chauffeur cars, it’s not surprising to find a number of users considering adding the iX as a second-tier vehicle.

With the iX, the devil’s in the detail. The interior is very different. Where the i4 is traditional, the iX is a kind of future-retro, with wood and leather finishes but some highly modern switchgear – no internal door handles, for example – just push a small button on the door grab handle and it pops open.

Even the touch-sensitive buttons surrounding the clear Perspex rotary controller are incorporated into the wood-effect finish. The same widescreen satnav/dash is present as on the i4.

It’s very crisp and clear.

The iX model range will comprise the BMW iX xDrive50 with a combined output of 523hp and a range of up to 380 miles (WLTP), plus the BMW iX xDrive40 that produces 326hp and is able to cover up to 257 miles on a single charge. A sporty iX M60, with an expected maximum output in excess of 600hp, will follow.

It’s not quite the same sparkling drive as the i4 – you wouldn’t expect an SUV to match a saloon – but it’s sure-footed and solid on the road, and not short of grunt - 0-62mph is 4.6sec on the xDrive 50 model and 6.1sec on the xDrive 40.

As with the i4, a Combined Charging Unit in the BMW iX allows DC power to be taken on board at a rate of up to 195kW (xDrive50) or 150kW (xDrive40), which allows the battery’s state of charge to be increased from 10% to 80% in just over half an hour. Enough juice for 90 miles (xDrive50) or 59 miles (xDrive40) can be delivered in just 10 minutes.

With both cars, BMW is offering buyers a BMW Charging card which offers discounted rates at both public and high-power charging stations.

Additional ‘BP Pulse’ and ‘Ionity Plus’ packages are offered to iX customers with no subscription fee for the first 12 months, and offering large discounts on per-kW prices offered by the two networks.

Additional customisation of the car’s settings is available via a BMW app. These include personal settings for seat and steering wheel position, exterior mirrors, navigation system, driver assistance functions, display layouts, shortcuts, favourites and infotainment system settings.

FEBRUARY 2022

current affairs

Location, location, location is the key to charge point installation

A

SHIFT TO ELECTRIC IS CHALLENGING, where the Clean Air Zones are), and far too often they’re and many operators in the taxi, private unreliable and already dated. hire, chauffeur and courier industry are The latest EV models can charge far faster than uncertain about how best to transition 90% of the existing network’s 50kWh chargers. to the new electric economy.

Gridserve is having to replace almost all the old But if you’re an operator with a depot and parking area, Ecotricity chargers after it bought the company you have an immediate advantage. I’m going to look at last year, as they have been overtaken by technology the main pain points that some established operators are in less than a decade and a half. currently dealing with, and how they can overshadow and, There are connectivity issues with various vehicle Tim Scrafton in some cases, outweigh, the desire to go green. manufacturers – there is still no unified plug – and It is possible to cope with the main challenges of Founder and COO these problems are compounded by poor customer transition in a positive way, by taking advantage of the key of The Connect support knowledge and poor maintenance. differences between conventional internal combustionThings need to improve to meet the surging demand.

Consultancy engined vehicles and EVs. With an EV, you can recharge Forecourt operators such as Motor Fuels Group (MFG) your battery in a location other than a public-facing are doing their bit to improve this situation, by rolling charge hub or a traditional petrol station – your own parking spaces out multiple, canopied ultra-rapid charging bays to their portfolio of can be your own forecourt. well-located urban forecourts, all supported by their forecourt trading Any driver with access to off-street parking at home or work is in the partner amenities. We need far more of this going forward. position to switch to EVs, as you can install a home charger – that’s But the commercial networks are more expensive than private something my company can help you with. charging. Yes, you might need to use the networks on longer journeys, And while EV adoption favours those solo owner-drivers with private but it makes financial sense to provide the energy yourself either at home parking, it also favours those larger fleets with workplace home or at workplace. charging capabilities. If you fit either of those profiles, then you’re at Homes with private parking can provide charging overnight at an immediate advantage over the operator whose office is on a busy super-cheap low peak rates from around 5p per kWh. That’s nine high street, or the driver who lives in a block of flats. times cheaper than Gridserve, which charges 45p per kWh. Better Renewable energy and electrification can democratise and empower still, workplaces offer us the potential to provide scalable, futurebusinesses with suitable locations – and there are some amazing proof solutions, so that you can grow your electric fleet and support options and new avenues available. These even include going totally it accordingly and more profitably. off-grid and in a renewable, sustainable and more cost-efficient way.

THE END OF THE ICE-AGE

Larger fleets considering the switch to EVs have a lot to weigh up but ultimately the die is cast and the transition to electric is happening now – and at a rapidly growing rate, with big operators in London such as Addison Lee, GLH and Green Tomato Cars committing to fully electric fleets within just a couple of years.

There will come a point where an electric taxi is expected, and to protect the legacy of the business you’ve built over many years, there’s the need to stay relevant in an electric world. Otherwise, you risk being left behind, frozen out in the ICE-Age. Individual drivers with private off-road parking and workplaces are not the same – higher power supplies are often available to companies, which means you could have the opportunity to install rapid charging outside of the public networks, to support your fleet and on your own terms.

MORE TO DO IN ’22

The alternative to rapid depot charging is the public charging infrastructure, which in the UK is improving, but is still behind the growth curve in EV sales. In December 2021, 26% of new car sales in were pure EV – while only 7% were diesel. Change is happening.

The issues with charging on public infrastructure outside Tesla’s Supercharger network are numerous. The distribution of chargers is uneven – there are not enough chargers in city centres, (exactly

FEBRUARY 2022

YOUR DEPOT – YOUR FORECOURT – YOUR FUTURE

If you have the ability to install workplace charging, there are multiple innovative ways forward to take advantage of your position.

A clear and well-planned strategy starts with a detailed assessment.

An independent evaluation needs to include at least the following: u Your car parking and available space u Energy supply and power needs u Resolution of any supply issues u Likely additional demand from charging u Types and number of vehicles u EV fleet growth u Changing types of vehicles u Increasing user demand u Number of chargers and optimum charging speeds u Monitoring and management u Ongoing maintenance and support There is a lot to consider and a lot of solutions.

EV Fleet management is also energy management and a well planned and executed strategy will future-proof and protect your return on investment. Your depot could be the key to a successful transition. n Tim Scrafton runs the Connect Consultancy, providing end-to-

end strategy, insight, supply of EVs, chargers and installations. hello@theconnectconsultancy.com

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the knowledge

After the crisis, the real work begins

T

repairs and parts cost more and earning HERE APPEARS TO BE AN AIR OF aspirations are growing as shopping and hope and optimism that the worst of fuel costs rise. Add into this the need to the Covid-19 pandemic has passed, migrate to electric cars and fund whatever and life in this industry may start to additional requirements local councils ebb toward normality. decide are necessary to comply with the new Whether this is wishful thinking, hope over statutory guidance and there you have a quick experience or reality we will no doubt discover. demonstration of why fares will not only have to One thing is certain - there will eventually be a turning point, and when it comes, the real work Dr Michael Galvin rise now but continue rising for some time.

The ‘skill’ of being able to reduce prices begins. https://mobility and compete against venture capital-funded The fog and chaos of Covid has shielded much serviceslimited operators, some of whom have subsidised fares and tested many but it has also hidden problems .com by up to 60%, is not much use now. The here and and put many things in abeyance. As the fog now and foreseeable future will require the skill and the chaos drift away, those things that the of moving prices steadily up to address the supply situation, industry struggled with before Covid will come off the back and in all likelihood to burn off some demand. burner and be at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts and The new situation will require drivers to earn much more actions. in order for operators to compete with the competition for The industry collectively entered this period already their services – for example, deliveries. It will also require unsure, challenged and frustrated. During the Covid period customers to pay much more if they want a service. The some have thrived, some have sunk without trace and others recent madness of the past seven years or so, where prices have survived. The skills needed, and if we are honest have reduced from an already low base, is firmly over. acquired and deployed very quickly during the Covid period, Operators will need to continue to monitor and control won’t be the same skills that will be required to strategise costs effectively as I believe this will be a smaller industry so and build a profitable and successful future. therefore there will be less opportunity to generate revenue Happily, costs will be lower as everyone has had to take based on increasing volume. This situation, with all its tough decisions which will set companies up to cope with downsides and risks, and the new skills and propositions volumes which without much doubt will be lower. Cash will needed to retain and gain market share, will be a great have been eaten up or exhausted, cars will need replacing leveller. and staff will want more money. So old problems and It was starting to become obvious before Covid that the challenges will mix with new. lack of a path to profitability among the more proliferate of The oft-claimed driver shortage appears to me to be the new entrants was stressing their ‘investors’. A gentle nothing of the sort – instead I would suggest it is simply move up in interest rates will reduce high wealth individuals’ an economic issue. Supply has unsurprisingly diminished appetite for risk and VC money may be harder to find. through a mixture of Brexit and not being able to earn a No one will be immune from having to charge more to living as a taxi or private hire driver, and other work has customers and pay more to drivers and if, like some, the only been found. Fares are relatively low and in some cases at tool in your bag is low fares… well, the future is looking historically low levels. somewhat difficult!

Demand has yet to be seen. During brief forays over recent This industry is never boring and this phase of our months into a near-normal state, it did appear that demand collective careers will prove no different. As always, action has been stellar and quickly outstripped supply leading to will be more important than hope. After the energy and the claims of a driver shortage. focus expended by everyone who has Simple economics dictates that survived or thrived during the last when demand is relatively high and “If, like some, two years it would be a shame to relax supply is relatively low prices rise now and simply hope that somehow to burn off some demand and to the only tool in business will get back to what it stimulate additional supply. We are was and that drivers will magically in that situation. Fares across the your bag is low fares… migrate back to taxi and private hire. industry are on average much too low well, the future is The work begins now. and have been for a long time.

We are in an inflationary situation, looking somewhat fuel is at breathtaking prices; n www.mobilityservices secondhand cars are costing more; limited.com difficult!...”

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FEBRUARY 2022

the advisor

Making Tax Digital and the driver issue

W

ELL, IT’S COMING TO THE to deliver. The whole MTD scheme has been end of the tax return season. marred by delays and confusion. Here’s MTD Many of you late guys may have as it stands today: heard that you now have until February to do your returns. However, be aware MTD for VAT you will pay interest on late payments (that MTD VAT is being offered to all businesses wasn’t in the HMRC press release of course!). voluntarily registered for VAT for their first VAT You may have heard me say many times that return period starting on or after April 1, 2022.

Gary Jacobs in the very near future, sole trader drivers can HMRC has reported that around 100,000 no longer just turn up once a year with a box of businesses that should already be complying Gary Jacobs receipts when MTD digitises the tax process. We with MTD VAT have not signed up yet. runs Eaziserv, an will have to do returns every quarter with a fifth Alongside HMRC’s new record-keeping and accountancy firm final return at the end.

MTD filing requirements for VAT, there is also a specialising in It is due to go fully live on 6 April 2024 for sole new set of late filing and late payment penalty the taxi and private rules. The new rules were put into law by the traders after the government postponed the hire business scheme by a year in September 2021.

Finance Act 2021. The penalties now work This will happen (the pilot has been going on around filing obligation dates, imposing penalty eaziserv.co.uk since 2018), but not without a lot of pain and points for when a business misses a filing torment, with tens of thousands expected but obligation date. In this case points do not mean just nine people currently taking part in the pilot scheme. prizes, they mean fines.

Professional bodies are calling for more information on how HMRC plans to get it right in time.

MTD for tax returns As MTD’s first accountancy practice (Eazitax in effect Following a consultation published late last year, the turned the on button to the portal), we have been immersed start date is almost certainly April 6, 2024. It will apply to in it from the very start. At first, it felt like a massive unincorporated businesses (that’s sole traders to you and futuristic shift, like moving from vinyl to Spotify. me) with total business income above £10,000 per year.

But, after all talk and no action for five years, it now is There will be quarterly reports which will look similar to more like the government’s version of hide and seek. A the self-employed pages of the traditional tax return. The Freedom of Information request from a top 20 firm just first accounting periods affected by MTD for self-assessment reported in the Financial Times revealed the dramatic fall in will be those beginning on or after April 6, 2023.

MTD pilot participants.

Note that the pilot MTD for self-assessment is ongoing but The test scheme’s first year in 2018/19 saw 877 people restricted to: u UK residents registered for self-assessment with all register for the pilot, but that number has now plummeted, returns and payments up to date as confirmed by HMRC. u A sole trader with income from one business only While the figures are stark, the drop-off can be explained u Not reporting income from any other source. by a tightening of the criteria limiting participation to Without obvious incentives to get people into the pilot, ‘very simple’ businesses with sole trader income in 2019/20 it is doubtful that HMRC will hit their targets and have an (that’s us folks) which saw more than five hundred adequate system in place by April 2024. What this means to people removed. Those numbers were thinned out driver sole traders is more discomfort and confusion in the still further by the exclusion of those who had period leading up to digitisation. received Covid support grants.

Our involvement in the MTD pilot n Gary Jacobs is a director of since before its formal inception meant “Without obvious Eazitax, an industry specialist at one stage our firm had four clients: incentives to get accountancy practice. He sat on drivers with relatively straightforward the original HMRC Conditionality needs operating within the scheme. But people into the pilot, panel and is currently involved once they received the self-employed it is doubtful with the major trade bodies in income support scheme (SEISS Grant) The Conditionality Campaign. they were no longer eligible. that HMRC will Eazitax.co.uk/conditionality It seems HMRC promised something #conditionalitycuppa they in hindsight had no real idea how hit their targets...”

FEBRUARY 2022

35

the negotiator

T

Searching for the Holy Grail – but who’s driving the car?

Automated Vehicles Act that clarifies HE LAW COMMISSIONS OF and sets out new laws relating to AVs. In England and Wales, and addition, the “driver”, if there is one, will not Scotland have issued a report be liable where the vehicle is in automated on the legislation required for driving mode. In such a situation, drivers autonomous vehicles (AVs), imaginatively are to be considered as “users in charge” or titled ‘Automated Vehicles: joint report’. some similar description.

This report has clarified a number of Where AVs are authorised for use definitions relating to AVs. The main without a user-in-charge, such as a when item currently in the news regarding the Dennot Nyack used as a minicab or hackney carriage, publication was that “victims who suffer The union view responsibilities for overseeing the journey injury or damage will not need to prove that from our GMB will be undertaken by an organisation anyone was at fault. Instead, the insurer will representative described as a licensed “no user in charge” compensate the victim directly.” But I believe operator (NUICO). Presumably this means that the report is wider in its scope and companies such as Uber and can be extended to vehicle recommendations, so let me examine them. manufacturers too.

In 2018 I wrote about a presentation on AVs The Commissions go on to state that if, in such a delivered by Christian Wolmar, the award winning situation, the AV were to meet with an accident or transport specialist writer and broadcaster. As I was a other serious event, the vehicle must be backed by an professional licenced private hire driver at the time, this Authorised Self-Driving Entity (ASDE). Such events subject was close to my heart and pocket. would be dealt with as a regulatory issue to be resolved Up to then Uber and other minicab companies were between the NUICO and the ASDE. The emphasis here, touting to their investors that AVs were the ‘Holy recommended by the report, would be on understanding Grail’ that would bring huge profits. Since then, what happened and applying that learning to improve numerous court cases, the death of Elaine Herzberg future safety. by an autonomous Uber car in Phoenix, Arizona, and In 2018 Christian Wolmar stated that the technology the slowdown of research in this area has seen this is “nowhere near there”, a view I disagreed with at the destination to profit remain on the horizon. time and still do. (I’m with Mr Wolmar – Ed).

I believe that AVs are coming. In what form and I believe that AVs are on their way, sooner rather than by when is not known. How their arrival will affect later. The Commission’s detailed report is part of the professional drivers also remains unclear. Accident legal and technical ecosystem designed to pave the way liability is one of the inhibiting factor that have to be for the arrival of AVs, whenever they emerge. considered by all minicab companies that seek to use Needless to say professional & black cab drivers and AVs, whether they are the local firm based next to the their unions will need to prepare for the introduction of kebab shop on the high street or the international such vehicles. What precisely such preparedness will behemoth occupying the top floors of a tower block in look like is unclear.

Docklands.

The Law Commissions made a number of —Dennot Nyack recommendations to government for the introduction of AVs. An AV is defined by law as one “operating in a mode n Dennot is a AGM trade union member and was a in which it is not being controlled, and does not need to former representative of the GMB’s professional be monitored, by an individual.” drivers. He is also an author and broadcaster with The main points of the report are to propose the a strong knowledge of the private hire industry responsibilities between the various groups and and an equality and diversity specialist. individuals responsible for the operation of AVs. For email: dennotnyack@yahoo.com example, it proposes the introduction of a specific mobile: +44 0740 625 276

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FEBRUARY 2022

the insider

A grumpy old man writes…

L

be careful here as this carries all the hallmarks ET’S START WITH LONDON. IT wasn’t that long ago that I would associated with organised crime. Either county fight anyone who argued against lines drug smuggling or child prostitution, or both, my insistence that our capital is so I am not giving too many specifics. the greatest city in the world.

Briefly, a business woman has had her personal Recently, however, I constantly find my head details hacked. The hackers contact companies shaking in disbelief at the state of the place. Never and use the stolen details to book vehicles on mind Boris’s enquiry into breaking the rules he account. The jobs that have gone out, and there himself set - it is the custodians of this onceare hundreds of them, follow a similar pattern. The Kevin Willis great metropolis that are in need of a thorough ‘customer’ never comes out of the pick-up address investigation. but appears from around the corner or out of a As soon as Sue Gray’s enquiry has condemned Everyday problems waiting vehicle.

Bojo, the immediate task should be for her to Much the same happens at the drop off with from the operator’s look for any links City Hall has with block paving children often accompanying the adults(s) on point of view... companies because everywhere we turn is now the journey. Whether this gang are drug dealers a one-way street or pedestrianised zone. 20mph or pimps is conjecture but what is certain is that speed limits! Are you kidding me? they, to date, have never settled any account with many stories Unless passing a school during term time there is absolutely of chauffeurs being owed several thousands of pounds. no reason for us to be driving at such a low speed. It causes If you should receive contact from anyone looking to book a other road users to overtake when they shouldn’t and makes us lot of journeys out of the blue then I would suggest an abrupt all look like curb crawlers as cyclists and electric scooters zoom ‘lack of availability at the moment’ response or apply a high past at 40mph. degree of due diligence before proceeding.

My son says I sound like a crusty old man with my mutterings Another thing that changed recently was when my licensing about ‘back in the day’ and he might have a point. But things authority, Medway, merged with Gravesham Council. All of a aren’t the same anymore. Gone are the cheap and cheerful sudden I found myself forced to attend Zoom training courses eateries like The Stockpot or Guido’s in Shepherds Market. on disability and customer awareness. Then, once my initial Where we grabbed breakfast while waiting for the Hand anger had subsided, I was struck by how useful the programme Car wash to open. We have been abandoned to the mercy of actually was and how much it resonated with the scam story.

As drivers, we are given up close and personal time with our overpriced Starbucks’ coffee and a Pret-a-Manger menu of clients, so have a responsibility to look out for any red flags brioche bun and porridge. being waved when it comes to helping victims of abuse. We Birmingham doesn’t fare much better. What a khazi the town should be asking ourselves ‘Is that drunk girl safe with the man planners have made of the second City. A place were Waze spins taking her home?’ or ‘Why is that child so withdrawn?’ into a vortex of confusion before demanding a week off work We do not have to be detectives or act as superheroes, so to care for its mental well-being. ‘Drive to Martineau Square, please, please, do not attempt any intervention alone. Simply be Birmingham’ is a new game show I am devising. To be hosted by vigilant, just as one taxi driver did when becoming suspicious Noddy Holder and Bear Grylls (all rights reserved). that his punter, a confused, elderly lady, had told him how she Worse than that, we are being taken for fools – and as I get was heading to her bank in order to withdraw a large amount of older, I get less tolerant of that. Do you know what Hollywood money.

Movie executives call British drivers? ‘White Mexicans’. The The driver called his suspicions into his office who, in turn, slur stems from the fact that unit drivers’ pay in the UK is contacted her bank and then the police. The driver’s smart exactly half of that of our American counterparts. And unit intervention saved the old girl her life savings. drivers in the US get supplied a vehicle when us Brits Finally, hopefully, business looks to be heading toward a cheerfully bring our own. bumper year as we finally learn to live with, and not hide from, I heard a story of one American movie exec who turned up on a British set and was furious to see a car park full of V-Class and Covid-19. People will travel freely again soon and events will S-Class Mercedes. “I’m not paying for these expensive vehicles!” happen so please, be alert, be safe and get busy making some proper money. Try not to be as cynical and grumpy as I am and he yelled. He was informed that the drivers supply their own should you want to join me down at Benito’s Hat for a few Tacos cars and it’s included in the half-priced deal. According to his then you are more than welcome. driver, he chuckled all the way home.

Another story that crossed my path by way of an old mate is a far more serious tale. Chauffeurs, both sole traders and n Kevin Willis runs Chirton Grange, companies, are falling victim to a major scam. Now, I have to contact@chirtongrange.co.ukw

FEBRUARY 2022

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