Report urges ministers to act early to mitigate the effects of robotaxis on England's 417,000 taxi and private hire drivers. Report urges ministers to act early to mitigate the effects of robotaxis on England's 417,000 taxi and private hire drivers. Taxes on self-driving cars should be introduced now in the UK to offset the rise in congestion and threats to jobs they pose, a thinktank has urged. The first robotaxis on London's streets only started this month, but government projections are that up to 40% of cars sold could have self-driving capability by the middle of the next decade. The report says widespread autonomous vehicle (AV) adoption would put hundreds of thousands of private hire jobs at risk, while individual ownership is likely to increase car usage at the expense of public transport, and increase congestion.

Eight people have been questioned on suspicion of attempted murder after a multiple stabbing at a KFC restaurant in south-east London. The Met Police, ambulance service and air ambulance were called out to reports of an altercation involving several people on Bromley High Street at about 14.15 BST on Thursday. A 21-year-old man and three boys aged between 14 and 17 were taken to hospital with stab wounds. The man's condition was previously critical but is now not thought to be life-threatening. The Met said those four, plus four other boys aged between 14 and 17 have since been arrested and remain in custody.

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You're viewing the US edition You can switch to the UK or AU homepage at any time using this menu. 'Quite appalling': The UK's WORST airport revealed - with two-hour queues, nowhere to sit and'excessive' walking distances Best foot forward: The UK's best late-summer walks - from an expert who's hiked across the country for more than 50 years Paws for a pint: Britain's most dog-friendly pubs revealed, from'bark bangers' to kibble machines and canine menus Beyond the Mid-Autumn magic: The electrifying festivals that prove Hong Kong is Asia's most vibrant cultural capital The'walk of shame', fish-bowl cocktails and 5am airport runs with a hangover: Holiday reps from the 80s and 90s reveal what really went on The world's longest ever cruise sets sail on epic 371-day voyage - with stops all around the globe including Zanzibar, Alaska and even Japan Where should Brits move to in 2027? The £16-a-night youth hostels that beat five-star hotels hands down on location...from the Yorkshire YHA that overlooks Whitby Abbey to the 800-year-old Norman Castle in the Wye Valley As the back-to-school blues kick in, what's the best holiday you've ever had? A nightmare property with a killer view: Couple snap up 18th-century Lake Como home before realising the 300-year-old property needed'more work than we ever imagined' 'Unsettling... then incredibly cool': Self-driving taxis can now be booked in the UK, and we've had a first ride - this is what it was like (and why it's not completely driverless) Tourists in Spain brace for 38 degrees this weekend after late summer heatwave hits - with night temperatures no lower than a'torrid' 25 degrees One of Spain's most expensive homes - with its own bowling alley, 42-car garage and hair salon - goes up for sale for £60million You might actually get some sleep on this plane! Ranked by our travel expert, Britain's best to worst holiday parks: From the'perfect' posh lodges no one seems to know about to the only Center Parcs worth considering - and'tired' resort to avoid like the plague We've tested the best baby travel accessories - here are the parent-approved products you need when travelling with a newborn, from carriers to cots Social media is sucking the life out of our holidays - here's how to travel without Instagram and TikTok ruining your next trip Social media is a huge driver for tourism - it's an easy and instant way to share, view and find popular spots to visit.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Customers in London can now travel in the UK's first robotaxis as Uber launches its self-driving minicab on Thursday - the company is the first to launch the service. Initially, it only has 15 autonomous vehicles with a licence to operate in the city, and each one must have a human safety driver behind the wheel ready to take control if anything goes wrong. At the moment, the UK fare for a robotaxi ride will be the same fare as a standard UberX, Uber Electric, or Uber Comfort journey, with upfront fares shown in the app. The BBC's Zoe Kleinman was the first British journalist to hail a self-driving Uber in London - here's how the ride went.

Wayve's self-driving technology is based on an AI learning model rather than the mapping used by some rivals. Wayve's self-driving technology is based on an AI learning model rather than the mapping used by some rivals. London's first self-driving taxis for hire hit the streets Londoners are now able to hire self-driving taxis for the first time, after rides in Wayve's autonomous vehicles were added to the Uber app on Thursday. The chances of landing a robotaxi on request immediately are slim, with only 15 vehicles so far licensed. That contrasts with the more than 100,000 private hire vehicles in the capital - roughly the same number of Uber customers who have registered to take autonomous rides.

Uber launches UK's first robotaxis with a driver - here's what it's like to ride in one Londoners are able to hail the UK's first robotaxis - as Uber today becomes the first company to launch a self-driving minicab. Initially, it only has 15 autonomous vehicles with a licence to operate in the city, and each one must have a human safety driver behind the wheel ready to take control if anything goes wrong. Uber said it surveyed London-based customers via the app and more than 100,000 said they would choose a self-driving taxi if one was available, despite incidents of driverless rides malfunctioning in US cities where they already operate. As I found out when I became the first UK journalist to hail one, it was mostly smooth but the safety driver did intervene on one occasion. At the moment the UK fare for a robotaxi ride will be the same fare as a standard UberX, Uber Electric, or Uber Comfort journey, with upfront fares shown in the app.

DIY store B&Q and the fast food chain Five Guys are among hundreds of UK businesses named by the government for paying staff below the minimum wage. More than 600 employers were ordered to pay affected workers the outstanding wages, with £4m returned to workers, according to the Department for Business and Trade. The firms have also been issued penalties worth £7m. B&Q said the underpayments were unintentional and the result of calculations involving geographical allowances, while Five Guys blamed technical differences in how payroll regulations were applied. The list of 658 businesses includes shops, restaurants, nurseries, social care providers and a handful of NHS trusts.

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Share Ethiopia's Gobena, Kenya's Olympic champion Jepchirchir win Sydney Marathon on social media Ethiopia's Addisu Gobena and Kenyan world champion Peres Jepchirchir surged to commanding Sydney Marathon wins in the men's and women's races . It was the first victory in a World Marathon Major for 21-year-old Gobena, who came second last year, while Jepchirchir, in Australia on Sunday, added to her previous triumphs in Boston, New York and London. The dominant run shattered the course record by almost one and a half minutes, with last year's winner Hailemaryam Kiros dropping from the pace in the dying stages. "I am very happy," said Gobena, who was a javelin thrower before transitioning to long-distance running, gaining international attention by winning the 2024 Dubai Marathon. "Last year I came second, I learnt from my mistake and I went back home and I worked on my mistake to perform and break the record today." The unstoppable Jepchirchir was in a league of her own, crossing the finish line in front of the Sydney Opera House in 2:18:31, nearly four minutes ahead of fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai and Ethiopia's Shure Demise Ware.