38 PRIVATE HIRE AND TAXI MONTHLY
MARCH 2009 IN THE NEWS
NEW CRACKDOWN ON TAXI DRIVERS USING MOBILE PHONES IN COLCHESTER
A crackdown has been launched against taxi drivers who illegally use their mobile phones while driving. Tendring Council’s licensing committee is concerned there is a rise in the number of drivers using phones without hands-free kits. It wants any taxi driver and private hire driver, who receive a fixed penalty notice for such an offence, to be brought before its members. Drivers could then lose their licence.
Jose Powell, chairman of the council’s licens- ing committee, said members took the mat- ter seriously. “We need to make driv- ers aware that we will be taking a tough line over this issue,” she said. The committee has the power to revoke licences, but said each case will be dealt with individually and treated on its merits.
There was also a call from the committee for council officers to try and urge the Govern-
ment to consider stiffer penalties for offenders. The current penalty is a £60 fine and three points. Peter Balbirnie, a mem- ber of the licensing committee, said sever- al taxi drivers had been seen using mobile phones.
“It’s disgusting for any motorist to use a mobile phone while driving,” he said. Some people think it’s a minor offence. I think it’s a major offence. “We don’t want to see any deaths from it.”
Alan Kirkham, chairman of the Tendring Taxi Driv- ers’ Association, told the Colchester Evening Gazette: “I’m all for it. I am 100 per cent behind it and I totally agree. “I have said it all along. Two or three drivers have been caught in the past. I have seen taxi drivers use mobile phones when they have passengers in their cars. “It’s about time it was done. Why should some- one carrying people use their mobile phone while they are driving.”
CHESTER CABBIE LEFT IN LURCH BY ILLEGAL BAN
A cabbie banned from driving after being caught by an illegal speed camera still has no licence, seven weeks after highways officials realised the error.
The Highways Agency cut the speed limit on the A5117 from 70mph to 40mph for roadworks to take place safely last year. Graham Hardy was one of 4,128 driv- ers prosecuted for exceeding 40mph then told the limit was unlaw- ful because nobody had bothered to renew the legal order enforc- ing the measure. Mr Hardy went to court on December 9, a week before the blunder was discovered and was banned when the three points he was handed for driving at 49mph took him to 12 on the totting up system.
He told the Chester Chronicle: “I was in the process of appealing when this came out in the press in December. Since then I’ve hit a brick wall trying to get my licence back. “I got a letter from the courts on January 13 saying the conviction was overturned and I was entitled to reap- peal to the DVLA for my driving licence. It said the court would notify the DVLA. But the DVLA hasn’t heard a single thing from the courts.” “It beggars belief in today’s world where we can communicate easi- ly verbally or by email. It just takes an email to the DVLA.”
As well as claiming back the £300 he was fined, Mr Hardy says he is considering legal action to claim loss of earnings.
WOULD YOU TAKE FOUR TO SEVEN YEAR OLDS IN YOUR TAXI ALONE!!!
A veteran county councillor has added his voice to the grow- ing chorus of criticism levelled at officials who have told parents to send unaccompa- nied children as young as four to school in Carlisle by taxi. Alan Toole, the Conser- vative councillor for Belah, says he is appalled by the situation. He is the latest local politician to hit out at the practice of sending primary age children to school alone in taxis because their local schools in north Carlisle are full.
The national children’s charity Kidscape con- demned the practice as “irresponsible” after it was highlighted by Carlisle MP Eric Martlew.
The Labour MP believes that around 20 families have been left without local school places by the decision made by the Tory/Lib- Dem alliance who controlled the council until late last year to close Belah Primary School. Mr Toole told the Carlisle News and Star
that he had cam- paigned vehemently to prevent the closure. “Now we’re seeing the chickens are coming home to roost,” he said. “This situation is absolutely appalling. What you have to ask these guys [council officers] is: Would you let your four-year-old go off in a taxi with a man they don’t know, with a stranger?
“My wife and I both think it’s appalling and there’s certainly no way we’d do that to our grandchildren.” A County Council spokesman said that all the taxi drivers underwent rigorous background checks. “Every primary school child entitled to trans- port in Cumbria will travel ‘unaccompa- nied’ unless they have special educational needs,” he added. Mmm...Unfortunately it would not be safe for taxi drivers to take these children unac- companied - just one allegation, founded or not, from a vindictive child and that is your career over - for good! - Ed
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