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SWOOP CENTRAL
SUNDERLAND TAXI CHECKS HAILED A SUCCESS
Taxis have been undergoing checks as part of a day-long po- lice operation. It was carried out with the support of Sunder- land City Council and saw vehicles as- sessed to ensure they were legal.
The Sunderland Echo reports that of the 70 vehicles stopped, nine received prohibition notices, two received vehicle defect rectifica- tion scheme notices, one fixed penalty notice was issued and two vehicles were seized
under section 165 of the Road Traffic Act for having no insurance. A driver was given advice after carrying a wheelchai r -bound customer incorrectly and another for using an expired driving licence.
TAXIS BANNED FROM BRISTOL ROADS AFTER SPOT CHECKS
A series of spot checks led to 19 taxis being taken off the road for failing to meet public safety stan- dards. Officers from Bristol City Council’s licens- ing enforcement team joined forces with Avon and Somerset traffic police and VOSA staff to carry out a seven-
hour operation on a recent Saturday. In total, 62 taxis were stopped, with 19 removed from the road until remedial work was carried out. The majority of prob- lems identified con- cerned defective lights and brakes and poor maintenance. Cllr Fi Hance, chair-
man of the council’s public safety and pro- tection committee, told the Bristol Post: “We recognise the impor- tance of the taxi trade to Bristol and that most taxis are legal and safe. Surprise checks are an effective way to remind drivers of the importance of car maintenance.”
SOUTH SOMERSET CABS TAKEN OFF ROAD AFTER SPOT CHECKS
Three taxi firms and an independent driver in Yeovil have been repri- manded for major defects with their vehi- cles. South Somerset Dis- trict Council’s
li-
censing enforcement team said four taxis were taken off
the
road immediately after faults were found dur- ing unexpected stop checks last month. A total of 26 vehicles were stopped across the district during a joint operation by Avon and Somerset Constabulary, VOSA and the district council on Friday, April 26. District
councillor
Peter Seib, portfolio holder for regulatory and democratic ser- vices, lambasted the firms. He said: “This is cyni- cal exploitation of the public, offering a shoddy, unsafe and
PAGE 54
illegal vehicle - know- ing it’s difficult
to
refuse it as you need the transport. “These taxi companies won’t be making any savings by putting off maintenance though. They lost revenue and still had to put things right.” Major defects were found in vehicles driv- en by employees of three Yeovil compa- nies. One
taxi
operated was found with one tyre below the legal minimum tread depth while a dipped headlight on another licensed vehi- cle was not working. Major defects were found in a taxi which had a tyre below the minimum tread depth and a constant veloci- ty joint boot leaking. The fourth vehicle was found with a steering fault. During the operation a
further four vehicle drivers were given advice
sharp edges,
regarding tyres
and items obscuring the driver’s view. Nigel Marston, licens- ing manager at the district council, said it was “disappointing” to see a deterioration in the standard of vehi- cles on the road since the last checks. He told the Western Gazette: “It was worry- ing to find two taxis with defective tyres as drivers should check these daily I am cur- rently in the process of reviewing our hackney carriage policy. “These further disap- pointing results clearly indicate that some drivers and operators are not maintaining their vehicles properly and perhaps we should increase the frequency at which we test these vehicles.”
AMBER VALLEY CABS GET THE THUMBS-UP
Taxis in Amber Valley have got a thumbs-up following a safety inspection. Amber Valley Borough Council and Der- byshire Constabulary carried out the checks on 44 vehicles. Lights, tyres, bonnet
safety, cleanliness and drivers carrying badges were all ticked off. Only two prohibition notices were issued on vehicles with defec- tive tyres. Both were lifted by lunchtime. Five drivers had minor issues and six will be
issued warning letters. An Amber Valley licensing spokesman told the Nottingham Post: “It is comforting to know that the vast majority of licensed vehicles within Amber Valley are kept to a high standard.”
BASILDON AND THURROCK TAXI CHECK CATCHES OUT OPERATORS
A stretch limo driver at a school prom was one of many taxi oper- ators who fell foul of police and council offi- cials in an operation in Basildon and Thurrock last month. The eight seater limousine driver who was at the event held at Ye Olde Plough House in Bulphan, was unable to produce a private hire badge and was reported for the offence. Out of 86 taxis checked,
five had
defective tyres and one had a number of
mechanical faults. A taxi was taken off the road for a combination of mechanical faults including two rear seat belts which were not working. The Basildon Council officer on scene in High Street, Wickford, removed his permit which forced him to stop work. There were non-functioning fire extinguishers in five other vehicles and several weren’t dis- playing
their ID
badges properly. In total, 62 were found
to be fine. PC Al Cuth- bertson, from Essex Police’s Commercial Vehicle Unit, told the Basildon Echo: “This work highlights that public safety is a prior- ity for both the police and local authorities and compliance is only achieved through enforcement. “Taxi drivers will be reminded of responsibilities
their to
comply with the law at forthcoming interviews with licensing officers. Further checks are planned in the future.”
POLICE AND SOUTH DERBYSHIRE COUNCIL IN BLITZ ON ROGUE TAXIS
Several taxi drivers
saw an unexpected blue light flashing in their rear view mirrors as police and council officers took to the streets on the look out for defective vehicles. Motor vehicle experts from
Derbyshire
Police joined forces with South Derbyshire District Council licens- ing staff
to stop
potentially dangerous vehicles being used by licensed private hire businesses in a blitz across the south of the county. Out of the 14 cars inspected during the operation six were suspended immedi- ately by the district council, and of these, five were issued prohi-
bition notices and two were recommended for prosecution by Derbyshire Police. Stewart Broome, sen- ior licensing officer at the authority, told the Burton Mail: “We are working together to ensure that there’s no hiding place
for
unroadworthy private hire vehicles in South Derbyshire. “Our aim is to ensure that
the vehicles
licensed by the coun- cil are maintained in a roadworthy condition at all times. When we find a vehicle that is not, we will take imme- diate action to ensure that the public’s safety is not at risk. “We also ensure that the driver is licensed
with South Derbyshire District Council. In the past, through these inspections, we have found unlicensed driv- ers wearing private hire driver badges.” PC Lee Simpson.of Derbyshire Police, said: “We’ve joined forces to bring a halt to these dangerous vehicles. If you are carrying members of the public, the very least you should do is to ensure that your vehicle is safe.” A Derbyshire Police spokesman said: “We will be on the road again soon to ensure that private hire driv- ers in the district take their responsibility for other people’s safety seriously.”
PHTM AUGUST 2013
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