Spot checks find faults in half of Reading's cabs and private hire vehicles Of the nine Reading vehicles, one had two bald tyres, no road tax disc displayed and an insecure bumper Recent spot checks on black cabs and private hire cars found half the vehicles checked had faults.
Reading Borough Council licensing officers and Thames Valley Police carried out a joint operation in Palmer Park last month.
Over a four-hour period starting at 8am on Monday, May 12, they pulled in nine vehicles licensed by Reading Borough Council and a further five from out-of-town areas.
Of the nine Reading vehicles, one had two bald tyres, no road tax disc displayed and an insecure bumper.
The driver received penalty points on his licence and the vehicle was suspended from further use until the faults were put right.
The other faults and penalties for Reading-licensed vehicles were as follows:
- For damage to a front wing and a damaged fire extinguisher, the driver received penalty points and the vehicle was suspended from use.
- For an insecure protective rubber gaiter on the steering rack, the vehicle was suspended.
- For an improperly secured licence plate and an out-of-date fire extinguisher, the vehicle was suspended.
- For two worn suspension arm bushes on his vehicle, the driver was given five days to replace them.
- For a tyre worn and very near the legal limit, the driver was warned and told the vehicle would be checked again in five days.
One of the out-of-town vehicles had an expired hackney carriage licence plate and no hackney carriage or private hire badge.
This vehicle was not registered with the DVLA to this driver.
Police and licensing officers from areas outside Reading will take appropriate action on the following issues found on out-of-town vehicles:
- One had no hackney carriage badge displayed.
- One had a time-expired fire extinguisher.
- A hackney carriage whose licence plate was not securely attached and displayed on the rear windscreen and brake pads close to the legal limit.
- Another black cab was not displaying a hackney carriage vehicle licence plate.
In an unrelated court case, on Thursday, May 29, at Reading Magistrates Court, Mohammed Asghar, a previously licensed private hire driver, admitted three offences of plying for hire, using a vehicle without the appropriate private hire licence plate and driving without insurance.
Asghar, 23, of Hazel Crescent, Whitley, was fined £120 for plying for hire, £120 for using the vehicle without a licence plate and £200 and a licence endorsement for having no insurance.
He was also disqualified from driving for six months.
Councillor Paul Gittings, lead councillor for culture, sport and consumer services, said: “We take the safety of residents who use hackney carriages and private hire cars extremely seriously, and this is why we work with other agencies to carry out regular spot checks on these vehicles.
“Whilst we know that most drivers comply with the terms of their licences and with the law, we are committed to taking appropriate action against any who fail to do so.”
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local- ... lf-7248733
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