Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies warned in Highland Council safety crackdown


DODGY taxi and private hire car operators are being taken to task by Highland Council’s licensing committee.


It is concerned that taxi and PHC operators are failing to ensure their vehicles are safe and meet required standards.

This follows three recent hearings where operators were hauled over the coals after their faulty vehicles were reported by trading standards officers.

The reports related to unacceptable maintenance regimes which resulted in vehicles being submitted for inspection with severe safety defects.

The issue came to light as a result of the trading standards’ penalty points system where the compliance of operators and drivers is routinely monitored.

Committee chair Councillor Maxine Smith said: “Poor vehicle maintenance can put the public at risk and is not acceptable. Although vehicles have been made safe after the defects were found, it alarms me that just prior to this the vehicle most probably has been carrying a member of the public who expects the vehicle to be safe.

“Operators have a duty to keep vehicles safe at all times and not just fix what is found wrong when inspected.”

Cllr Smith added: “What is also becoming apparent is that operators assume that every garage knows the council’s inspection standards and not all of them do, so it is crucial that the operator knows that the garage is checking their vehicle in line with the standards required by the council, which are higher than a normal MOT.

“We must protect the public at all costs, as this is our duty of care when issuing a taxi operator’s licence.”

Trading standards manager Gordon Robb said: “We will be writing to all licence holders to remind them of their responsibilities and outline again the system we have in place to identify those falling below an acceptable standard.

“The system is one of our ways of measuring compliance and non-compliance in areas such as vehicle safety or appearance attracts penalty points. When a person attracts 20 points or more, they are reported to the licensing committee.”

To report taxi maintenance issues, contact Highland Council’s trading standards at 38 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UF; by email to trading.standards2@highland.gov.uk or speak to an advisor on 01463 228700.

http://www.highland-news.co.uk/News/Cab ... 112014.htm

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Mechanically speaking which bits are higher than a normal MOT ? And does Clr. Smith take her car for an MOT every four months, what about the safety of her passengers and other road users ? Bet she's never even checked the oil level or tyre pressures.