FIT AND PROPER
EAST AYRSHIRE OPERATOR STRIPPED OF LICENCE BY SCOTLAND’S TRAFFIC COMMISSIONER
Cumnock and Auchinleck-based minibus and taxi operator Norrie Donis trading as A1 LUX has been stripped of its operator’s licence by Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner following an investigation which identified major failings and illegal practices. In July 2020, the DVSA Traffic Examin- er initiated an investigation into drivers’ hours and tachograph records for the operator. Records from October 2019 to March 2020 were examined and were found to be wholly unsatisfactory. By a call-up letter dated 24 February 2021, the operator was called to attend a Public Inquiry. The inquiry found breaches including: • Tachograph units not being calibrated since 2011 and 2018
• Vehicle units not being downloaded, in one case for 1,066 days
• 120 occasions between October 2019 and March 2020 when vehicles had been driven without a card being inserted by the driver
• Instances of drivers’ cards being removed from the vehicle head dur- ing the course of a journey/booking
• Mr Donis carried out 32 private hires without being the holder of a valid driver’s CPC
Several drivers have also had their PSV driver’s licence revoked due to the dan- gerous nature of the failings. The Traffic Commissioner found that the operator no longer satisfies the requirements in respect of good repute and weighing up the limited positive
features against the serious and persis- tent failings then revocation of the operator’s licence from 15 May 2021 was appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances. East Ayrshire Council and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport have also removed all school contracts from the operator which has been removed from the list of approved suppliers.
TAXI DRIVER’S LICENCE REVOKED AFTER DUMPING PASSENGERS ON M6 MOTORWAY
A taxi driver has had his licence revoked after abandoning two passen- gers on a motorway, police say. According to the Bolton News, motor- way police were called to M6 near to Junction 27 on the southbound car- riageway at 3am on April 24 to reports of pedestrians on the hard shoulder. Patrols say when they attended the couple had been ejected from a taxi and dumped on the hard shoulder.
UNLICENSED PHV SERVICE IN COTSWOLDS FINED AFTER TIP-OFF
Cotswold District Council has successfully prosecuted two men for operating a PHV service without a private hire licence - thanks to a tip off from a member of the public. Glos News reports that Cotswold District Council’s Counter Fraud Unit made a booking with Harry Eva’s company, Cotswold & Burford Private Hire, in December 2019 and driv- er Andrew Whitehead was sent - but he did not have a driver licence and was in an unlicensed vehicle. Cllr Andrew Doherty, Cabinet Member for Licensing, said: “We take fraud of any kind very seriously and we will investi- gate all allegations of fraud to ensure we protect the public.” Appearing at Cirencester Magistrates’ Court on 10 May 2021, Eva, 63, of Carterton and Whitehead, 70, of Littlehampton, were found guilty of the offences in their absence and were each ordered to pay £552 in fines, costs and surcharges.
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A spokesman for North West Motorway Police said: “The couple did have money to pay the fare and no reason was found as to why they were ejected. “Officers took the couple off the net- work and dropped them safely home. “We contacted the local Taxi Licensing Officers - they investigated the matter and decided to revoke his licence with immediate effect, in the interests of public safety.”
CLEETHORPES FIRM SUSPENDED FOR OPERATING UNLICENSED VEHICLES
Cleethorpes taxi company Fon-a-Car has been handed a 48- hour suspension order after it allowed private hire vehicles to operate without a licence. According to Gi Media, the company, situated on Market Street, was issued with the suspension by the Council’s Hackney Carriage Sub-Committee in September last year. However, the case went to Grimsby Magistrates’ Court in March 2021 following an appeal by the operator. The decision to issue the 48-hour suspension was upheld after it was found that the operator allowed PHVs without a current licence to keep running. Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for Safer and Stronger Communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “It is right that anyone who ignores these rules receives an appro- private penalty
JUNE 2021
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