Taxi Driver Online

Birmingham taxi drivers prosecuted in spot-check operation


A CLAMPDOWN on taxis in Birmingham saw 89 vehicles pulled over and subjected to a spot check – with more than 40 per cent facing prosecution.

Four vehicles were taken off the road immediately for having faults that would fail an MOT and seven drivers had their licences suspended on the spot due to the state of their cars.

In addition one driver is being prosecuted for showing an aggressive attitude when asked to comply with the enforcement operation on Broad Street on Friday night.

In the joint operation by the city council and the police, private hire vehicles and Hackney carriages were stopped in the city centre.

Both Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles were checked for everything from the road-worthiness of their cars to whether the driver was displaying the proper documentation.

It was part of a regular series the council and police do to ensure cabbies are complying with the terms of their licence.

Undercover council licensing officers also probed whether private hire drivers were plying for trade by taking fares from passengers who flagged them down in the street.

They posed as would-be passengers in the suburbs and tried to flag unsuspecting cabs down without making a booking first.

If a driver accepts a fare that was not pre-booked, they invalidate their insurance and, if there is an accident, the passenger is not insured.

Chris Neville, head of licensing at the city council, said there are 1,500 Hackney carriages in Birmingham and around 5,500 private hire vehicles.

The enforcement operations ensure the public can get into a vehicle knowing they are going to be safe.

Mr Neville said: “The private hire vehicles complain that we pick on them so, in operations like these, we always pull over both Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.”

In Friday night’s operation police motorcyclists roamed the city centre looking for taxis and pulling them in at random.

Once in the spot check area, officers examined the vehicle looking for defects such bald tyres, faulty headlights. Meanwhile council enforcement officers checked to see if the private hire vehicles were displaying the correct signs on their cars and were wearing their badges.

Coun Bruce Lines, chairman of the licensing committee, watched the operation. The committee is currently consulting on toughening up the penalties to private hire drivers caught flouting the terms of their licences.

He said: “It’s important there are regular enforcement operations like these because there are a few drivers who don’t conform to the conditions of their licence.”

source: http://www.birminghammail.net/

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

I bet quite a lot of drivers took the night off when they heard about the checks

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

The PH disappear every time!!

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Apparently one driver, don't know whether he was PH or HC, became abusive and insulted and swore at police and other officials when it was pointed out to him that his vehicle had two bald tyres.

No suprise then that he was arrested!!

All agencies were out in force last Friday night; licensing enforcement, police, VOSA and HMRC, including benefits and tax people.

There were apparently one or two caught working and claiming what they should not have been claiming.

My only grip is that no barsteward told me it was going on and I stayed in Sutton, when the city was buzzing with work, because the PH and rogue HC had disappeared for the night.

A heads-up from one or two cabbies who I have helped out in the past would have been nice!!

I could have earned some very fast shillings!!!

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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whats Birmingham citys age limits for PH?

ive seen some that must almost be vintage classics

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

i was in bed

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Interesting comment, because when the enforcement team are out and about down here many of those pesky taxis disappear.

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IDFIMH

What I meant was that PH disappear and no longer form lines of PH ranks illegally plying for hire and return to their offices or the suburbs instead.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Disagree with other members' views;
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When debating on the TDO Forum.