SWOOP...


DEFECTIVE TAXIS TAKEN OFF ROAD IN COVENTRY


Dangerous taxis including some with illegal tyres and defec- tive brakes were seized by police dur- ing a Christmas safety crackdown.


A total of 23 PHVs and hackney carriages trav- elling along Foleshill Road in Coventry were stopped during the blitz. Police officers togeth- er with taxi licensing officers, benefit inves- tigators and officers from VOSA conducted checks during a three- hour operation.


Of those checked, 15 were found to have defects and their driv- ers were stopped from using them until the faults were corrected. Four of those with defects were Nun- eaton and Bedworth


registered taxis. Two of the four were issued with penalty points and a fine. The remain- ing 11 were Coventry registered vehicles. Among the defects discovered were ille- gal tyres, defective suspension, steering and brakes and meters not giving an accurate time. Pc Dean Wainwright, told the Coventry Tele- graph: “The operation - particularly with such bad weather at the moment - is very wor- rying, as most of the defects are down to routine maintenance.” Since the taxi operation was launched in Janu- ary 2007, 738 vehicles have been examined with 298 of those found to be defective.


SOUTH DERBYSHIRE GETS TOUGH ON SAFETY


Eleven taxi drivers were issued with fines during a crackdown on unsafe and poorly maintained vehicles in the area.


Enforcement officers from South Derbyshire District Council worked with the Vehi- cle and Operator Services Agency and police to check 23 cars in the district. The random inspec- tions were carried out in December when ten drivers were issued with a fixed penalty notice and charged £60.


One other driver was given two fixed penalty notices and fined £120.


Defects spotted in the vehicles included ille- gal tyres, inoperative


headlamps and prob- lems with seat belts. Of the cars inspected, 20 were from South Derbyshire, one from North West Leicester- shire, one was from Derby and one regis- tered in East Staffordshire.


Councillor John Bladen, chairman of the district council’s environmental and development services committee, told the Derby Evening Tele- graph: “All drivers and operators should check their vehicles regularly.


“The safety of the public is their respon- sibility and we will continue to carry out checks to make sure that they put people first.”


SOUTH GLOUCS SWOOP REVEALS SCARY RESULTS


A third of taxis stopped in a crackdown in South Gloucestershire were found to have serious faults. During a joint operation by the police, South Glouces- tershire Council officials and VOSA, 17 taxis were stopped. Six had such serious faults - from illegal tyres and defective seat belts to lights that did not work - that pro- hibition notices were served on them. A further four were on the borderline of legal requirements, while the remaining seven were satisfactory. The operation includ- ed checks on tax, vehicle insurance, tyres, lights, seat belts and tinted windows as well as mechanical


checks by VOSA. Mark Pullin, trading standards and licens- ing manager,


said:


“We are determined to ensure that local taxi operators adhere to the highest standards in order to protect the public.”


Heather Goddard, the council’s executive member for communi- ties, told the Bristol Evening Post: “Many South Gloucestershire residents use taxis so it’s essential that these vehicles comply with all legal requirements governing their use. “Public safety is of paramount impor- tance, so we will not hesitate to take action when taxi operators fail to maintain their vehicles properly.”


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SAFETY CRACKDOWN IN WEST SOMERSET


Cabbies face losing their licences after a crackdown on safety by West Somerset Council and the police last month.


Officers from the coun-


cil and VOSA stopped and inspected 29 vehi- cles in Minehead. According to the Som- erset County Gazette, the council issued eight notices, two of which


were lifted the same day after minor remedi- al work, while the remaining six operators have strict timescales to comply with or face losing their licences.


TWO PHVS SEIZED IN CHESHIRE


Two PHVs have been seized by police as part of a joint safety opera- tion with Cheshire West and Chester Council. Plain clothes officers attempted to flag down PHVs off the streets last December in


response to com- plaints about safety from the public.


They test purchased around 30 PHVs over two nights. One vehi- cle was seized in Ellesmere Port and another in Chester.


PC Mike Callan, who ran the operation, told the Chester Leader: “It was encouraging to see that the majority of PHVs complied with the law and refused to take passengers off the street.


CLAMPDOWN ON TAXIS IN ROTHERHAM


Illegal and poorly- maintained taxis were driven off Rotherham’s roads in the run-up to Christmas to protect revellers. A four-hour operation by the council, police and VOSA resulted in the the inspection of 16 licensed vehicles. Four drivers were


issued with prohibition notices, one driver was suspended and his plates removed and two drivers have been reported for illegal ply- ing offences and will be prosecuted.


A council spokes- woman said that this was a very clear indica- tion that the majority of


Rotherham taxi drivers took their responsibili- ties seriously. Cllr Peter Wootton, told the Rotherham Record: “We take pub- lic safety very seriously and are committed to ensuring that Rother- ham’s taxis offer a safe and professional serv- ice to their customers.”


PHTM FEBRUARY 2010


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