Taxi Driver Online

Sheffield driver suspended over missed HC test or not?

A TAXI driver has accused Sheffield Council of unfair treatment after he was suspended for failing to turn up for a vehicle test - which he says he was never asked to attend.

Shahid Nazir has clocked up 30 years of unblemished service and is a one-time vice chairman of the former private hire and taxi association.

Now he has been banned from plying his trade.

Mr Nazir, of Nether Edge, said: “I have had my licence suspended after I missed a vehicle inspection appointment on February 8.

“But I never received a letter informing me of the appointment - or I would have attended. I have been a taxi driver for 30 years and have always done everything by the rules. Now they have taken away my livelihood.”

The father of three used to drive part-time but has been on the road full-time after being made redundant as a careers adviser last year.

Sheffield Council said Mr Nazir’s vehicle was booked in a for a test and renewal of licence as his licence expires on February 29. A spokesman said a letter was posted to him at the end of December.

It is standard procedure for drivers who fail to attend tests to receive a suspension notice.

Mr Nazir has 21 days to appeal or arrange to have the tests taken.

Steve Lonnia, Sheffield Council’s chief licensing officer, said: “Mr Nazir has not been stopped from plying his trade and, if he contacts the licensing service and pays his missed test fee, he will then be booked in for a test prior to the suspension taking effect at the end of this month.”

Source: Sheffield Star

Most drivers know when their vehicle is about due for inspection I'm surprised he didn't realise he hadn't received the letter

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

Indeed, and that would seem to be the case here.

However, in some areas they do all the cars over a period of a few weeks, and I knew one driver who hadn't received a letter thus thought he was one of the later cars, but in fact the letter went astray - or was never sent - so he missed the test.

The didn't quite go to the lengths of suspending him though; he just got another date arranged.

This council have stated that if he contacts them and pays for the missed test he could have another test booked before the suspension was due to take effect. Mind you, the date has now passed so I wonder what he did?

_________________
Grandad,

With a 30 year unblemished cab driving record I think they should have given him a chance to get it tested.

Perhaps when it was splattered all over the local press it finally clicked.

Well if what the council say is correct then he was given a chance but failed to read the communication properly.

They did!

_________________
Grandad,