Rogue cars warning
Some private hire drivers have been stripped of their licences in a major Christmas crackdown on rogue cabbies.
Officers in Bradford Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Unit, working in tandem with Bradford South Police, stopped 61 hire vehicles in Bradford city centre over the weekend to check if the cars and drivers were licensed.
Undercover police officers caught nine private hire drivers illegally plying for hire.
Under licensing regulations, private hire vehicles must be pre-booked and only Hackney Carriages, which in the Bradford district are white vehicles with a green flash on the front doors, can be hailed in the street.
Buoyed by the success of the weekend’s operation, Council chiefs have warned that similar operations will be conducted in the city over Christmas and New Year to protect the public from rogue drivers.
A spokesman for the Hackney Carriage Unit said: “The operation was very successful. We made sure that no unlicensed vehicles or drivers were operating within the city centre.
“Undercover police officers caught nine private hire drivers illegally plying for hire.
“They had their licenses revoked and prosecution files are being prepared for them not having the appropriate insurance cover in place.
“Members of the public should be aware that if they get into private hire vehicles which they have not pre-booked, the drivers are committing an offence of illegally plying for hire.
“If the vehicle was involved in an accident the public would have no cover from the insurance companies.”
Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the Council’s executive member for environment and culture, said: “The licensing inspectors will be working over the Christmas and New Year period conducting similar operations to ensure that members of the public are protected from rogue drivers who are putting lives at risk.
“Drivers found illegally plying for hire will have their licenses revoked and face a prosecution.”
Inspector Kevin Pickles, of City Ward Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “By taking nine illegal cabs off the road, we are sending out a clear message that this will not be tolerated.”
C D Khalid, president of Bradford’s Hackney Carriages Association, welcomed the crackdown.
He said research had revealed that Hackney Carriage drivers lost a lot of revenue when passengers were picked up by private hire drivers who stopped illegally when flagged down.
Mr Khalid said it was vital that police and Council chiefs continued to take a tough stance on the issue.
He said: “We like it when this kind of action is taken. We requested it from the Council a long time ago and it’s very pleasing and very kind of the Council to have done something about it.”
|
