... in the news... in the news... in the n
% L G W R S X W E U D N H V R Q 6 F R W W L V K J D Q J V W H U S U L Y D W H K L U H � U P V
Scottish gangsters face being forced out of the as a deterrent to unlawful activity and send a A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said:
private hire trade by tough new laws unveiled clear message to organised criminals that there “There can be no doubt that the ability to
by the Scottish Government recently. Justice is no room in this industry for those who want to U H J X O D W H U D G L R R U E R R N L Q J R I � F H V L Q D G G L W L R Q
Secretary Kenny MacAskill revealed he would use it as a front for their illegal activities.” to individual drivers would make a massive
bring in legislation that would stop organised G L I I H U H Q F H W R W K H Z D \ � U P V R S H U D W H L Q * O D V J R Z �
F U L P H W D N L Q J R Y H U S U L Y D W H K L U H � U P V D Q G X V L Q J
Detectives have long feared that organised
them as a cover for money laundering, drug
F U L P H K D V S X W S U L Y D W H K L U H � U P V L Q D
The authority, like several other public bodies,
dealing and prostitution.
V W U D Q J O H K R O G S D U W O \ E H F D X V H R I � V R I W W R X F K �
including the BBC, has previously given
regulation of the industry. Councils have powers
Z R U N W R � U P V Z L W K U H S X W H G J D Q J O D Q G O L Q N V
The new law will introduce a licensing scheme
to licence drivers of taxis and private hire cars
2 I � F L D O V S U L Y D W H O \ D G P L W W K D W X Q G H U ( X U R S H D Q
I R U S U L Y D W H K L U H � U P V D O O R Z L Q J S R O L F H W R R E M H F W W R
E X W Q R W W K H U D G L R E R R N L Q J R I � F H V W K D W F R Q W U R O
procurement laws, there is little they can
permits on the grounds of criminal behaviour.
W K H P 0 D F $ V N L O O � V S U R S R V H G Q H Z O D Z V Z R X O G S X W
S U H V H Q W O \ G R W R U H M H F W J D Q J U H O D W H G S U L Y D W H
0 D F $ V N L O O Z D U Q H G O D V W \ H D U W K D W W D [ L � U P V O L Q N H G
in place a licensing regime for radio rooms and
K L U H � U P V ' H W H F W L Y H V W L U H G R I V H H L Q J N Q R Z Q
with organised crime were expanding from their
their owners. Police insiders said they wanted
F U L P L Q D O V S U R � W I U R P W K H W D [ L E X V L Q H V V D U H
traditional heartlands in and around Glasgow to
the power to warn licensing authorities if a taxi
believed to have been lobbying hard for tougher
Edinburgh and other areas.
� U P � V R Z Q H U K D V O L Q N V Z L W K J D Q J V W H U V
new licensing regimes.
He told Scotland on Sunday recently: “Tackling
serious organised crime is one of the Scottish
* D Q J O D Q G � J X U H V U D U H O \ S X W W K H L U Q D P H V W R W K H
2 Q H V D L G � 7 K L V L V D V L J Q L � F D Q W F R Q F H U Q $ O R W
of people in the police have been pushing for
* R Y H U Q P H Q W � V W R S S U L R U L W L H V D Q G Z K H U H L W
F R P S D Q L H V W K H \ X V H W R O D X Q G H U W K H L U S U R � W V
changes in the legislation. We want to be able
L Q � O W U D W H V O H J L W L P D W H E X V L Q H V V L Q F O X G L Q J W K H W D [ L
S U H I H U U L Q J W R H P S O R \ � I U R Q W P H Q � D V R I � F L D O
W R W H O O O L F H Q V L Q J D X W K R U L W L H V W K D W V X F K D Q G V X F K
and private hire trade, we expect the police to
owners. But police hope that rigorous checks
L V D N Q R Z Q D V V R F L D W H R I V R D Q G V R W K D W W K H U H
W D N H � U P D F W L R Q : H Z R Q � W D O O R Z K D U G Z R U N L Q J
Z R X O G H [ S R V H V R P H R Z Q H U V D V Z K D W R Q H R I � F H U
L V L Q W H O O L J H Q F H W K D W W K H R Z Q H U R I D W D [ L � U P K D V
cabbies who borrow from the bank or mortgage
called “gangland stooges”. Last year Scottish
criminal connections.”
their home to buy a cab and make a living to be
police forces carried out a nationwide study
driven off the road by crooks and gangsters.”
of the private hire trade and were concerned
Opposition politicians signalled they would
by the levels of underworld activity they
Z H O F R P H 0 D F $ V N L O O � V S O D Q V & K D U O L H * R U G R Q
MacAskill added: “We expect to introduce
discovered.
a Labour MSP and former leader of Glasgow
legislation in the near future that will provide for City Council, said: “I think anybody of a local
police checks through the licensing of booking
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said:
government background like mine would be
R I � F H V W R E H F D U U L H G R X W R Q W K R V H U H V S R Q V L E O H
“Intelligence analysis revealed that a small
interested in this kind of legislation. In principle,
for the operation of such businesses, as well number of taxi companies were either owned , Z R X O G E H N H H Q W R V X S S R U W W K L V � 2 Q H Z H O O
as enabling police and licensing enforcement by, or had links to, organised crime, using known face in the legitimate taxi business
personnel access for inspection of premises the business to transport money, drugs and Z L V K H G W K H * R Y H U Q P H Q W � V Q H Z S R O L F \ Z H O O E X W
and records. We hope these measures will act prostitutes.” added: “I think it might all be too late.”
D
% O D H Q D X � * K R V W F D E V � E X V W H G
Blaenau Gwent Council has been clamping ( Q I R U F H P H Q W 2 I � F H U V S L F N L Q J X S D Q G G U R S S L Q J 5 R E H U W V Z D V � Q H G D W R W D O R I � D Q G R U G H U H G
G R Z Q R Q � J K R V W W D [ L V � W K D W R S H U D W H L O O H J D O O \ L Q W K H off passengers in a privately owned vehicle,
W R S D \ F R V W V R I � D Q G 9 L F W L P 6 X U F K D U J H R I
Borough. which was not licensed for such use. Havard
� 5 R E H U W V Z D V D O V R G L V T X D O L � H G I U R P G U L Y L Q J
H
also did not have a licence himself to drive
for 2 months.
, Q W Z R S U R V H F X W L R Q V E U R X J K W E \ W K H & R X Q F L O � V
such a vehicle for hire and reward and he
/ L F H Q V L Q J 2 I � F H U V R S H U D W R U V R I L O O H J D O
Z D V R E V H U Y H G F D U U \ L Q J R X W D Q X P E H U R I S U H
Chair of Licensing Committee, Cllr WC Watkins
businesses have been caught picking up and
D U U D Q J H G M R X U Q H \ V D U R X Q G W K H % O D L Q D D Q G
dropping off passengers for hire or reward,
welcomed the verdict of the Magistrates and
Brynmawr areas.
without having the necessary licences and
stated that: “the Council will continue to clamp
without having insurance.
down on “ghost taxi and private hire services”
+ D Y D U G Z D V I R X Q G J X L O W \ R I D O O F K D U J H V D Q G � Q H G
who operate without any of the vehicle safety
D W R W D O R I � Z L W K � F R V W V D Q G � Y L F W L P
A pub licensee from Blaina was convicted checks, driver medical tests and criminal record
of running an illegal private hire vehicle by
surcharge. His licence was also endorsed with
checks that Licensed operators undertake”.
Magistrates at Abertillery on Thursday 8th
6 points.
He added that: “the practice puts the safety of
January 2009.
In a separate case heard by Abertillery
passengers at risk and damages the trade of
' D Y L G 0 L F K D H O + D Y D U G \ H D U V R I 2 Y H U G D O H
0 D J L V W U D W H V R Q 7 K X U V G D \ W K - D Q X D U \
legitimate businesses in the Borough and it is
Nantyglo, Brynmawr had pleaded not guilty to
Jayne Roberts, 38 of Attlee Road, Nantyglo
clear that the courts take these offences very
a number of charges relating to the running of
pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed
seriously”.
an illegal private hire service and having no
private hire vehicle and having no insurance.
insurance.
Roberts had been observed on 1st March 2008
Anyone with information on illegal taxis or
E \ / L F H Q V L Q J 2 I � F H U V F D U U \ L Q J R X W D Q X P E H U
private hire vehicles or any other Licensing
The court heard that Havard was seen on the R I L O O H J D O W D [ L M R X U Q H \ V I R U K L U H R U U H Z D U G L Q W K H
P D W W H U F D Q V S H D N W R / L F H Q V L Q J 2 I � F H U V L Q
evening of the 26th of April 2008 by Licensing Blaina and Brynmawr areas. F R Q � G H Q F H R Q
D U Q L Q J D I W H U : ( G L Q E X U J K � P L Q L F D E � W H H Q U D S H G
7 K H F L W \ � V U H J X O D W R U \ O H D G H U K D V L V V X H G D Z D U Q L Q J D E R X W W U \ L Q J W R K D L O W K H Q G U L Y H Q W R D U H P R W H V S R W Z K H U H V K H Z D V V X E M H F W H G W R D W H U U L I \ L Q J
S U L Y D W H K L U H F D U V R Q W K H & D S L W D O � V V W U H H W V 7 K H P R Y H I U R P & R X Q F L O O R U & R O L Q
assault in the car. A police investigation into the attack is ongoing.
Keir follows claims by a teenage girl that she was raped by a bogus
private hire car driver on her way home from a night out last month.
& R X Q F L O O R U . H L U V D L G � 7 K H S X E O L F Q H H G W R E H F O H D U W K D W L W L V M X V W Q R W Z R U W K
7 K H \ H D U R O G K D V W R O G S R O L F H K R Z V K H K D L O H G Z K D W V K H E H O L H Y H G W R E H
taking the risk. If you are taking a private hire car then the only option is to
a private hire car outside a nightclub in the centre of Edinburgh and was phone for them in advance.”
34
Taxi Talk March 2009.indd 34 23/2/09 8:19:04 pm
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