Newcastle Council take six taxi drivers off city roads
SIX taxi drivers have been suspended amid concerns about the risk they pose to the public.
Newcastle City Council has taken four of the cabbies off the roads after receiving information from police about alleged criminal activity.
Two others have been suspended on health grounds.
Because of new laws that have come into play, the drivers will not be able to work until further notice and could still not win their licences back even if they are cleared of any criminal charges.
The city council’s executive member for regulation Coun Anita Lower said: “We have strict controls in place which are designed to keep the public safe when using taxis.
“We think it is of upmost importance that people feel they can get into a taxi and feel safe and secure.
“This is an area around which we cannot take risks. It is our duty to protect these people and ensure that those who are given licences are fit and proper people.”
The six drivers have all been suspended over the past three weeks.
Five of them are Hackney carriage drivers and one is private hire.
The council has a relationship with police that will see them informed if any driver is arrested on suspicion of a criminal offence, which will often lead to suspension.
Those taken off the roads recently include one cabby who was being investigated over the alleged supply of a firearm.
Another is accused of taking part in a joint aggravated burglary in January and has also been suspended.
A third is alleged to have sexually assaulted a female passenger and had his licence temporarily removed earlier this month. And the fourth driver has been accused of a historic sex attack on a female.
The other drivers have been barred from working for the time being for health reasons.
Across the city, there are 1,259 licensed Hackney carriage drivers and 1,438 private hires.
Licensing team manager Jonathan Bryce said: “We are trying to maintain high standards among drivers in the city and it is our job to make sure all those issued with Hackney carriage or private hire licences are fit and proper.
“In all of these cases, action has been taken to ensure the public are safe, which is our number one priority.”
PC Zoe Hingston said: “We work closely with taxi drivers across the city and the overwhelming majority are reliable and trustworthy and will always ensure their fare gets home safely.
“The public can rest assured they are safe in their hands. However, there are a few who flout the law and these are the ones who are brought to our attention via ongoing operations.
“We work together with Newcastle City Council to share information about taxi drivers who have been arrested on suspicion of committing offences, and they take the action they deem appropriate to ensure the safety of the wider public.
“We’ll continue to work closely with the council and the city’s taxi drivers to make Newcastle an even safer city for people to enjoy themselves.”
source:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/
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