Taxi Driver Online

11 cabbies are caught for number of motoring offences
By Helen Gabriel


CABBIES in North Yorkshire are being caught committing motoring offences - including drink-driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop after an accident.

In the last two years 11 taxi drivers have been charged with motoring offences in the county after being caught by police.

Alarmingly, the most common offence for them to be charged with is drink-driving - with seven of them caught behind the wheel when they were over the alcohol limit.

Some were prosecuted for two or three offences at the same time.


Details released under the Freedom of Information Act show the cabbies' list of shame includes six caught driving without insurance, four caught "driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence" and one arrested for driving without an MOT certificate.

One was even prosecuted for the more serious offence of failing to stop after an accident and failing to report the accident.

A City of York Council spokeswoman, said: "Depending on the severity of the offence, the police will notify the taxi licensing team if a driver is arrested, and again if they are subsequently cautioned or convicted.

"The licensing managers then review the case to see if it is reasonable for the driver to keep their licence. Safety of the public is always our main priority and each case is dealt with on an individual basis."

A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "There were 11 offenders arrested who gave their occupation as "taxi driver" but we do not have information to say if the offences were committed while the offenders were at work."

Judy Horwell, the Taxi Association's police liaison officer, said: "That's a pretty good figure considering how many taxis and private hire vehicles there are and how many hours we spend on the road.

"That shows that the drivers are taking responsibility for themselves.

"It's one of those jobs where if you're caught you can lose your livelihood in a day."

But she added: "Drink-driving is totally irresponsible and we don't condone that sort of thing."

Taxi drivers have to pass a strict background check before they are granted a licence and a further check is made every three years.

Drivers are meant to notify the council's licensing department within three days if they are charged with any kind of criminal offence. It is up to the local authority to decide whether any criminal convictions are relevant.

If someone has a "relevant conviction" - for example for motoring or violent offences - under national guidelines they are not usually granted a licence until that conviction is spent.

Those with drink-drive convictions are not normally allowed to hold a taxi licence for five years afterwards, but they can appeal.

Last year, The Press told how former police officer and convicted drink-driver Mick Hughes, was given a taxi licence in a landmark court ruling.

Mr Hughes, 48, from Acomb, successfully appealed against a decision to reject his application by licensing chiefs at City of York Council.

He had been dealt with by the courts in February, 2003, and had had two or three pints before he drove illegally in the Leeman Road area of York.

Not sure that ex policeman is a cabbie, never seen him, must be PH

March 7, 2005

HEADLINE: Judge overturns licence ruling

DATELINE: York

FORMER police officer and convicted drink-driver Mick Hughes has been given a taxi licence in a landmark court ruling.

Mr Hughes 48 successfully appealed against a decision to reject his application by licensing chiefs at City of York Council.

Deputy District Judge Martin Sheen presiding at York Magistrates Court told the Acomb resident he was satisfied he had learned his lesson. But he warned him: "Don't let me down."

Mr Hughes of Milner Street now plans to start driving for Castle Cars within days once some formal details have been completed. He said today: "I was pleased with the judge's decision. I had appealed immediately because I had nothing to hide.

"If anything has happened in my life and it is my fault I will hold my hand up. The council had their guidelines but it seemed there was no flexibility. I feel elated. It was very sympathetic and understanding of the judge. "I enjoy driving and meeting people and I just want to be a taxi driver. "The judge told me I was a trailblazer. He told me not to let him down."

The saga began when City of York Council rejected Mr Hughes's application for a licence in line with its usual policy on drink-drivers. He had been dealt with by the courts in February 2003 and told the district judge he had had two or three pints before he drove illegally in the Leeman Road area of York.

Council guidelines forbid people to hold a taxi licence for a certain time after a drink-drive conviction. In Mr Hughes's case the time was five years until February 2008.

But Mr Sheen said he had the benefit of extra information including Mr Hughes's previous employment as a police officer and that he had held a licence before. He said the council did decide each case on its merits and not necessarily according to the guidelines. "I am satisfied Mr Hughes has learned his lesson " he said.

Mr Hughes told the court he had been on a drink-drivers' rehabilitation course and that he had been having a "difficult time" when the offence occurred. Mr Hughes served as a constable with West Yorkshire Police until he left the force in 1982. He has worked on and off in the building trade since.

Dick Haslam head of licensing at City of York Council said the council did have guidelines but applicants had the right to appeal to a court.
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Is it only me that thinks that's quite a low number?

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IDFIMH

It sells papers old boy, it sells papers.

but you're right.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Fact driving tired is more dangerous than driving over the limit.so how about prosecuting Chaueffeur and PHV operators who FORCE drivers to drive TIRED?????????????????????
AGITATE AGITATE AGITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

or the stupid drivers

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Captain DUTY OF CARE and dont start crying SELF EMPLOYED weve taken that one out.You dont happen to rent cabs out do you??????????
AGITATE EDUCATE ORGANISE!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

GMB you say about duty of care, ok fair enough i agree to a point, however surely we all have a duty of care to ourselves family and friends. Surely its common sense for each individual to know when they are tired and say NO MORE. I personally think all this duty of care and suing other people has gone too far. Its about time the public took responsibility for their own actions and stopped blaming other people. We are becoming far to americanised in my view.SELF EMPLOYED, EMPLOYEE, who cares we should all be responsible for our own actions

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

You seem to miss the point, drivers should go home when their tired, if they are stupid enough to carry on working thats hardly my fault

Then again, you have a point, we need greater regulation, fewer cabs, less hours, you sound like the very bastion of taxi regulation and limited numbers, do you want an NTA application form?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

SELBY COST 100MILLION POUNDS and how many dead.working time regulations are here we will make sure drivers that are a danger to anyone through GREED and SELFISHNESS will be dealt with and of course proprietorsSo how many cabs do you rent out Capt?????????????
Kermit you seem a sensible fellow how would you feel if a tired driver took any of your family out due to tiredness.Be happy at the graveside? it happens every day of the week lets hope you dont learn the hard way over 600 last year!!!!!!!!!!
EDUCATE EDUCATE

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Why thank you for the compliment, steady on now, but to be honest this is exactly my point, i would not blame the employer i would have to say the driver should know better, if the driver is tired he should rest and then restart, but only he knows wether or not he is tired. People cant tell you if your tired or not, its down to you the driver surely and common sense should prevail. Yes i would be more than disgruntled if this should happen to a member of my family, but it would be the driver and the driver only that would be responsible in my eyes, and before anybody says but their employers are forcing them to drive these hours, i would say no-one forces anybody, we all have our own minds and the right to stand up to these people just as i would given these circumstances. If people dont stand up to them then i consider them to have a yellow streak and not worthy!! This is obviously just my opinion

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Wasnt the Selby rail disaster a result of some guy chatting to a bird half the night on his PC then without much sleep going to work in the early hours?

In my experience the majority of drivers are self employed, in being self employed they can come and go when they want.

If drivers work long hours, such as they do now due the the 24hr drinking regulations and delimitation, the fault lies firmly at the feet of local authorities for issuing too many licenses.

If I rent a cab to anyone, I dont tell him what hours to work.

And my office staff are under firm instructions to specifically not give long distance work to drivers who have been working over a set period of time.

Its all covered in the company health and safety policy.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

_________________
Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

There are two types of people who drive taxis one is a taxi driver, He is a professional he knows his job he knows when to work and when to stop, the other drives a taxi when he's not in the betting shop,