Union advises Londoners not to use driverless taxis until DfT, TfL and platform companies come clean on status of "human safety drivers"

 From the ADCU

Are “human safety drivers” qualified and safe to support AV rollout? ADCU demands urgent answers as driverless taxis hit London streets

The App Drivers' and Couriers' Union (ADCU) is calling for urgent answers from the platform companies, the Department for Transport and Transport for London after driverless cars for hire appeared on the streets of London for the first time today.

ADCU has repeatedly raised serious concerns about the rollout of autonomous passenger vehicles, including in evidence to the London Assembly Transport Committee in June. A central unanswered question remains the status of the so-called "human safety drivers" inside the vehicles during the pilot.

ADCU is demanding immediate clarity on:

• Who these human safety drivers are and how they have been recruited.
• Whether they are licensed private hire drivers.
• If they are licensed drivers, where liability sits if there is an accident or a passenger becomes unwell.
• If they are not licensed drivers, what qualifications and authority they have to act in that role.

Cristina-Georgiana Ioanitescu, General Secretary of ADCU, said:

Londoners are being asked to trust a system without being given basic answers about who is responsible when something goes wrong. We have been asking these questions for months. If there is a collision, if a passenger becomes ill, or if a safety-critical decision has to be made, the public has a right to know exactly where liability sits and what status these so-called human safety drivers actually have."

TfL requires licensed private hire drivers to pass stringent checks before they are allowed to carry passengers, including medical, safeguarding and regulatory requirements designed to protect the public. So the obvious question is: has that same standard been applied here? If the person sitting in the vehicle is meant to intervene in a safety-critical situation, or deal with a passenger emergency, Londoners need to know whether they have gone through the same licensing and vetting process as every other private hire driver in this city. If not, why not?”

The platform companies, the Department for Transport and TfL need to answer these questions today. Until they do, we would not advise anyone to set foot in a driverless taxi.

ADCU has consistently argued that autonomous vehicle trials must not be allowed to proceed without full transparency, proper democratic oversight, and clear safeguards for passengers, workers and the wider public.

Robotaxi plans for London 'premature' say GMB warning of 'unprecedented levels of social and economic disruption' if transition plans not in place

 
Responding to reports that Uber will add driverless options for its customers in London, David McMullen, GMB Senior Organiser, said:
 

With hundreds of thousands of people employed to drive every day, we need to be really careful with the roll out of driverless cars unless we are prepared to see unprecedented levels of social and economic disruption.
 

GMB has called on TfL and the Government to urgently take responsibility for developing a plan that protects drivers and holds operators accountable for the disruption that these services will ultimately cause.
 

Until a plan is put in place to manage this transition and support drivers, it is premature to move to 'driverless' services.
 

It’s vital that we consider the implications of this before it’s too late.

Two more charged over Brent Civic Centre murder

From Metropolita Police

Police were called to reports of a stabbing at Brent Civic Centre on Engineers Way at around 14:30hrs on Tuesday, 25 August.

Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and located a 17-year-old boy, David Wynter, with stab wounds. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he sadly died at the scene. His family continue to be supported by specialist officers.

On Friday, 28 August, officers arrested an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Jahquarn St Hillaire, 18 (01.03.2008), of Preston Road, Wembley and the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons but is from the Wembley area, were both charged on Saturday, 29 August with murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

They have been remanded to appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 31 August.

A 20-year-old man was also arrested on Friday, 28 August on suspicion of assisting an offender. Diego Farquharson, 20 (24.11.2005), of Birchen Grove, NW9, has since been charged with assisting an offender and will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 31 August. He remains in police custody.

It comes after a 15-year-old boy was charged with murder on Thursday, 27 August. He was remanded in custody at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on the same date and will next appear at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 24 September.

Detective Chief Inspector Aytac Necati, who is leading the investigation, said:

“We are continuing to investigate David’s tragic death.

“I am aware that a number of individuals were in the area at the time of this incident. They may have video footage or information that could assist our investigation.

“While I would urge people not to share video footage of this incident online, we are aware that some clips may already be circulating on social media.

“I would urge anyone who sees such footage or who has information that could help officers to get in touch with us.”

Superintendent Chris Clarke, who leads emergency response policing in the area, added:

“My thoughts remain with David’s family and friends.

“We understand the concern that this incident has caused within the community.

“We have increased reassurance patrols in the local area. These will continue over the coming days and weeks.

“Residents can expect to see an increased police presence, and I would ask that anyone who has concerns speaks to officers.”

To report information to police, call 101 and quote CAD 4032/25AUG26. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or via their website.

Have your say in tree felling in Brent: current proposals - Consultation on Donaldson Road, Olive Road, Thirlmere Gardens

 There is precious little information on the Brent website but here are the links:

  

https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/tree-felling-consultation-40-donaldson-road

 

https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/tree-felling-consultation-36-olive-road

 

https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/tree-felling-consultation-9-thrilmere-gardens-ha9

Survey: Brent has third most confusing recycling guidance in London

 

A survey by BusinessWaste.co.uk  of London boroughs has found that Brent has the third most confusing guidance on recycling.

They comment:

Scores range from 0 to 100, with a lower score indicating less confusing household recycling guidance. Flesch Reading Ease is a metric that rates text on a 0-100 scale, where higher scores mean a document is easier to read. The full dataset can be found here.

Bromley has the most confusing recycling guidance in London and in the UK, with an overall score of 71.9 out of 100. Across its website, 81 separate recycling rules and exclusions were counted. Residents use different containers for paper, plastic, glass, cans, and food, but some everyday items follow less obvious rules. Tetra Paks belong in the green box rather than the black paper box, while plastic plant pots are accepted unless they are black. Cut flowers can even go in the food waste container, provided they are wrapped in newspaper or placed in a compostable bag.

In second place is Enfield, with a score of 69.2, after 87 rules and exclusions were identified. Enfield’s blue recycling bin comes with a substantial amount of small print. For example, aluminium foil must be formed into a fist-sized ball, glass jars should be rinsed with their lids replaced, and shredded paper needs to be placed inside a paper bag. The council also warns that continued contamination, following letters to the household, could eventually result in collections being stopped and a £60 fixed penalty notice.

Brent is in third place, with a score of 66, with 79 rules and restrictions across its recycling guidance. Residents must separate paper and cardboard into a blue sack while placing other recycling in the blue-lidded bin. Some everyday items also come with detailed conditions, for example, a plastic plant pot is only accepted if it is made from PET or PP, is not black and measures more than 40mm by 40mm. Shredded paper must also be placed inside an old envelope before being recycled. 

 

Mark Hall, Brent waste management expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, said:

Most recycling decisions are made in a few seconds, usually with the packaging in one hand and the bin lid already open. People are unlikely to search several council pages every time they come across an item they’re unsure how to dispose of. If an answer depends on a minor detail, such as its colour, lining or whether two parts need separating, many will either guess or throw it in their general waste bin.

Unfortunately, this creates problems for both parties as recyclable material can be lost unnecessarily, while incorrect items can contaminate waste streams. Contamination is not always a sign that residents don’t care, it can also mean the guidance didn’t clearly explain a fairly ordinary question clearly enough.

Councils should aim to keep their core household rules on one current page, use consistent names for containers and place exemptions next to the items they relate to. Clear photographs of common packaging would be a more helpful step than expecting residents to understand technical material names or plastic identification codes.

Methodology:

1. Household recycling guidance was collected from 58 major urban areas across each nation of the UK.

2. The areas were selected from Investment Monitor's list of the UK's largest cities as a starting point, before being expanded to all 32 London borough councils. 

1. This was done as it would provide broad coverage of major urban areas in the UK, while also allowing each council to be assessed fairly.

3. Researchers counted the special instructions residents were expected to follow, such as rinsing containers, removing lids or using a particular liner.

4. Items and material categories explicitly excluded from household bins were also counted.

5. Relevant guidance was assessed using Readable. Flesch Reading Ease was used to measure how difficult it was to read. Flesch-Kincaid grade levels were included for context but did not affect the final score.

6. Repeated rules were counted once. Collection dates, prices, missed-collection information and other administrative guidance were excluded.

7. Instructions, exclusions and readability were each scored from 0 to 100 and given equal weighting.

1. Those with a higher number of rules and a higher number of exclusions were scored higher, as this was interpreted as more information for residents to interpret and understand

8. The three component scores were averaged to produce the overall confusion score. A higher score indicates more complicated guidance.

9. The study measures the complexity of councils’ published online guidance. It is not intended to critique the quality of their recycling services.

10. This research is not a comprehensive review of every UK council, but rather a snapshot of councils in major UK urban areas. It purely highlights how the number of rules, exclusions and language used may affect how easily people interpret and follow the guidance provided. 

11. Data was collected on the 13th August 2026 and is correct as of then

Variation of Brent's Veolia contract at Scrutiny tonight. Full review of Veolia's performance sought.

 

A fly-tip on Birchen Grove, Kingsbury. Part of the Capital Ring Walk Route

 

Wednesday's Public Realm and Resources Scrutiny Committee will consider a call-in request by Liberal Democrat and a Green Party councillor regarding the decision to add additional functions to the Council's waste contract with Veolia at a  12 month cost of £1.54m. LINK

The councillors call for a full review of the contract involving members of the Council before any variation of the contract. The meeting starts at 6pm and can be viewed on-line HERE

   

Decision called in

 

Authority to vary the contract for Integrated Street Cleaning, Waste Collection and Winter Maintenance Service with Veolia Environmental Services (UK) Limited See LINK

 

 

Reasons for Call-in

 

The contract should not be varied at this stage, before Members of the Council and the Scrutiny Committee have had a full opportunity to review the operation and performance of the existing contract and to recommend improvements in response to concerns raised by local residents.

 

This is particularly important given that the report states that no consultation has taken place with ward Councillors, other than the newly appointed Lead Member.

 

Comments from residents, together with Councillors’ own observations, indicate that many streets across Brent remain dirty and that the current approach of “intelligence-led cleaning” is not delivering the standard of service that local people deserve.

 

There is also a significant concern that too much litter and waste is ending up in landfill, while too little is being recycled, with Brent lagging behind comparable authorities.

 

Additional funding should therefore not be added to the existing contract until its current performance has been properly reviewed, its failings and shortcomings identified, and  potential improvements fully considered.

 

Alternative Action

 

That the decision be referred back to the Cabinet Member for reconsideration on the basis that prior to any additional funding or changes to the contract being agreed, Members should have a full opportunity to scrutinise the existing service, consider the concerns raised by residents and councillors, assess its current performance against the specific term of the contract and determine what improvements are required.

 

Areas that should be reviewed include:

 

1. Frequency of cleaning: Review the frequency of cleaning in shopping areas and on the side roads serving those areas.

2. Sweeping standards: Ensure that the service provides genuine mechanical or manual sweeping where required, rather than relying primarily on litter picking.

3. Waste collection and pick-up arrangements: Review how waste found on streets is  dealt with. This should clarify whether contractors only collect waste that has been specifically ordered or reported, whether they are expected to collect waste they encounter during their rounds, and how both reported and unreported fly-tipping or dumped waste is addressed.

4. Unregistered land: Set out clearly the process for collecting waste from unregistered land. The Council should also explain how the register of unregistered land will be maintained, documented and made available for inspection.

5. Housing Revenue Account: Confirm that item (g) in the original decision will be charged to the Housing Revenue Account and not the General Fund.

6. Night-time cleaning: Fully review and, where appropriate, extend the areas receiving night-time cleaning.

7. Jet washing: Review the frequency of pavement jet washing in busy areas, with a view to carrying it out more regularly rather than concentrating activity immediately before local elections.

8. Financial implications: Fully review the financial implications for both the 2026/27 and Variation of the Veolia waste contrcat 2027/28 financial years, including the allocation of costs between the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account.

 

It is clear that the current service does not meet the clear specification in our contract including for example keeping street litter bins clean, for litter bins not to be over flowing and treating weeds on pavements as litter. The prime objective should therefore be to ensure that any variation to the contract, and any additional expenditure associated with it, delivers real, measurable and visible improvements in the cleanliness of streets and public areas across Brent.

 

Fire Brigade statement on Hannah Close waste facility fire

From London Fire Brigade earlier today:

Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters are responding to a fire on Hannah Close, Neasden. 

Speaking from the scene, Assistant Commissioner Andy Pennick said: 

The Brigade was called at 1136 to reports of a fire on Hannah Close, Neasden. Upon arrival, firefighters were met by a well-developed fire involving a waste transfer facility. Recognising the scale of the fire, the initial officer in attendance immediately requested twenty fire engines be mobilised to the scene.  

An industrial unit, approximately 100m by 150m is currently alight.  We have around 125 firefighters currently working to bring the fire under control. The fire has produced a significant amount of smoke, with local residents being advised to keep doors and windows closed as we respond. Services on nearby rail lines have also been suspended as a precaution whilst we respond.  

Four of the Brigade's 32m ladders have been mobilised to the scene as part of our response, alongside the Brigade's Drone Team. A Hose Laying Unit and High Volume Pump have also been deployed, increasing the amount of water available to firefighters as they work to bring the fire under control.   

This is a protracted incident that will see crews on scene for the remainder of the day as the work to fully extinguish the fire. I’d like to thank our firefighters for their hard work so far at this fire, and our Control Officers for managing a significant number of calls and coordinating or response.  

The Brigade's Control Room took the first of over 90 calls reporting the fire at 11.34. Crews from Wembley, Park Royal, Willesden and surrounding fire stations have been mobilised to the scene. 

The cause of the fire is not yet known. 

Nearby residents were advised to close their windows to keep out the smoke. 

 

SEE VIDEO 

 

Some Wembley residents may remember the 'Wembley Stink' in the summer of 2012 when spectators attending the Olympic events at Wembley Stadium were treated to a really nasty stench coming from the Seneca waste works in Hannah Close- thankfully no fire that time.

READ ABOUT IT HERE  

Robotaxis rollout delay welcomed by Brent Green Party

Brent Green Party Councillor Suzanne Gallagher and Councillor Amandine Alexandre organised a protest against Waymo in Harlesden on May 22nd. They are asking the Mayor of London to hit pause on the robotaxis trial. Photo: Suzanne Gallagher 

 

  

Earlier this year, Londoners were led to believe by Keir Starmer’s government, Brent Labour leadership and big tech companies that the introduction of robotaxis in the capital was essential, inevitable and imminent. 

 

However, since April, when a serious Waymo incident happened in Harlesden, a coalition formed by Brent Green Party, trade unions and campaigning group Pull the Plug has been challenging this narrative and asking Sadiq Khan to hit pause on the robotaxis trial. 

 

Now, just over three weeks after Brent Green Party members, trade unionists, local transport workers and residents protested outside Waymo’s depot in Park Royal, the FT has revealed that driverless vehicles are unlikely to be introduced in London this year. 

 

TFL is not in a rush to publish regulatory guidance for driverless companies, and the Transport Committee of the London Assembly is yet to publish the result of its investigation on Autonomous Passenger Vehicles.

 

Councillor Amandine Alexandre, Green Party councillor for Harlesden and Kensal Green said:

This delay is a win for all the people who have been lifting up the veil on the negative impact robotaxis would have on jobs, road safety, privacy, but also safeguarding of our children, and our environment. This spanner in the wheel of extractive tech companies will be welcomed by the majority of Londoners. According to a YouGov poll published in July, 42% of us are opposed to the roll-out of so-called Autonomous Vehicles. 

 

Londoners have a lot of issues to battle with day-to-day - a suffocating rising cost of living, unaffordable housing and extreme heat. Improving their quality of life and protecting their jobs, and their health, should be the priority of the Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. 

 

AI-powered vehicles that generate tons of data stored in water and energy-hungry data centres are not the future of London. Londoners are the future of London.

NOTES 

•   Harlesden Says No to Waymo is a Brent Green Party campaign that was launched at the end of April 2026 after a WAYMO vehicle drove through a live police cordon on Harlesden High Street on April 22nd while officers were investigating a double stabbing.
•  A petition was launched at the same time and has gathered so far almost 450 signatures.