28 PRIVATE HIRE AND TAXI MONTHLY


MARCH 2009 SWOOP CENTRAL


DOUBLE TAXI STING ACROSS NUNEATON AND BEDWORTH


Scores of taxi drivers are being investigated for alleged benefit fraud following a double sting across Nuneaton and Bedworth.


A grand total of nine drivers are being investigated for benefit fraud and a further three referred for Council Tax swindling as a result of two oper- ations which ran simultaneously across the borough.


The crackdown saw fraud investigation teams from councils, including Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire, worked with police and the Vehicle and Opera- tor Services Agency (VOSA) to find those who were fraudulently claiming behind the wheel.


The double operation was also staged to catch those driving unsafe vehicles.


During the first wave, 30 taxis were stopped; seven of which received tickets from VOSA with five of the seven being forced to get repairs made on- the-spot. Three of the five were able to get the repairs made while two drivers had their vehi- cles seized until the amendments could be made.


In the second sting, 39 taxis were stopped, 18 of which were found to be defective and sub- ject to prohibition notices with nine being taken off the road immediately. There were three fixed penal- ty tickets issued for tyre offences, with others


given court summons for severe defects such as fuel leaks, suspen- sion collapses and defective breaks. Councillor Marcus Jones, leader of Nuneaton and Bed- worth Borough Council, told the Heart- land Evening News: “By working with other agencies we are able to target cross-boundary regional fraud, which in turn enables the police to deal with these offenders.


“By taking part in operations, like the one on Friday, Febru- ary 6, we are ensuring safe taxi use for resi- dents, and sending out a message that we will not tolerate fraud- ulent crime, or unsafe public vehicles on our road.”


POLICE LAUNCH CRACKDOWN ON DANGER TAXIS IN COVENTRY


Dangerous taxis have been taken off the road in Coventry in a police crackdown.


Cars with fuel leaks and defective brakes were among those impounded by officers patrolling the city on Friday night, 6 Febru- ary.


Officers on motorbikes led drivers of hackney carriages and private hire cars to two city garages, Rowley Autos, in Rowleys Green Lane, and Centre Point, in Foleshill Road, where the vehicles could be examined.


As well as police, repre- sentatives from the taxi licensing authority and the city’s benefit inves- tigation team were also on hand to conduct inquiries. At the Centre Point site 39 taxis were


examined. Of those, 18 were found to be defec- tive and nine were taken off the road immediately.


Three drivers were also handed fixed penalty tickets for defective tyres and others were referred to the courts for more serious defects, such as fuel leaks, suspension col- lapses and faulty brakes.


At the Rowleys Green Lane site 29 taxis were checked. Twelve of these were found to be defective and five were immediately taken off the road.


As a result of the oper- ation the benefit investigation team has launched nine investi- gations into possible benefit fraud and a fur- ther three cases have


been referred to Coven- try City Council over possible council tax offences. PC Dean Wainwright, of Stoney Stanton Road police station, explained that further checks on taxi vehicles were planned for the city.


He told the Coventry Telegraph: “This opera- tion will continue to be run as there are far too many defective vehi- cles being used, which pose a threat to the drivers, other road users and paying cus- tomers.


“On the other hand there was a large pro- portion of vehicles examined which are clearly looked after by the drivers or owners and were in a good condition.”


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MOST DRIVERS DISPLAYING ID BADGES IN HIGH WYCOMBE


One in eight cab drivers were not displaying legally required ID badges during a series of Saturday night checks by police in High Wycombe.


Officers found 11 of the 84 taxi and minicab drivers stopped as part of Operation Nightsafe on January 31 did not have the badges on them, despite them being brought in to reassure passengers. Two other drivers could also face prosecution


for allegedly touting for business, while one car checked was found not to be road worthy. Police were joined by licensing officers from Wycombe District Coun- cil for the checks, which are part of a programme to make the town centre safer for visitors.


Councillor Roger Colomb, chairman of the council’s regulatory and appeals commit- tee, said he was pleased with the results.


He told the Bucks Free Press: “Not only did we identify drivers not complying with our reg- ulations, but it also gave our officers the chance to talk with other drivers to identify concerns they have so that these can be tack- led directly.


“It is great to see that the majority of the driv- ers are complying with the regulations and pro- viding a high standard of service to visitors to the town centre.”


FEW DEFECTS REVEALED DURING CRACKDOWN IN GLASTONBURY


Police have been carry- ing out checks on taxis in the ranks in Street and Glastonbury and out and about on the roads. PC Chris Guest and Mendip District Council’s licence enforcement offi- cer, Jim Gilbody, have been carrying out ran- dom checks to ensure that the vehicles were in good order and legal to be carrying fare-paying passengers. “From all the taxis that were stopped only a small minority had a


defect,” said PC Guest. “A defect was anything from lights not working to shallow tyre tread. “We had a very positive response from all those involved to the point that drivers were approach- ing us and asking to be checked.”


NPHA area representa- tive Chris Wickham, of CJW Taxis, told the Cen- tral Somerset Gazette: “The taxi inspections were a welcome sight for any professional organi- sation, especially as


there were very few vehi- cles found that were less than perfect.This can only instil confidence in both the trade and the public that use us. “The benefits of the agencies and the trade working together are very clear - it ensures that taxis are a very safe form of transport for anyone thinking of using one, and it also sends a very clear mes- sage to any bogus taxi drivers that their days are numbered.”


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