Councillors knock back 70mph speeding driver from minicab license applicationA FAIFLEY man who was recently made redundant was told he could not become a minicab driver — after being caught speeding.
Robert McMeeken was hoping to earn a living as a private hire driver after being laid off by his previous employer.
He attended a meeting of the West Dunbartonshire Licensing Committee last Wednesday in a bid to gain his licence.
However, councillors heard that he pleaded guilty to speeding past an unmarked police car at 70mph on a 30mph stretch of Glasgow Road in Clydebank.
Mr McMeeken, of Faifley Road, was convicted of careless driving following the incident on January 25, 2015 in which he narrowly missed colliding with another car.
He was fined £300 and had eight penalty points added to his licence earlier this month.
Addressing councillors at the public hearing, Mr McMeeken said the speeding offence occurred after he became frustrated as the drivers of the two cars in front of him appeared to be speaking to each other across the two lanes. It was, however, an unmarked police car driving slowly.
He said: “I was intimidated by the way [the car] was driving. But my car is 16 years old, it wouldn’t go to 60mph never mind 70.
“I was speeding which I regret but I was nowhere near that speed.”
The applicant told licensing councillors: “It was a one off thing, it will never happen again. I was paid off, I bought a car and have a job there waiting for me. I just want to get on with it.”
But as police officers confirmed Mr McMeeken pleaded guilty to the 70mph charge, Councillor Jonathan McColl moved his application be refused. Councillor McColl said: “The applicant is coming and telling a different story to what he’s pleaded guilty to in court. I have to go with what has been proven in court. I can’t in good conscious award a licence, temporary or otherwise, for someone who has been convicted of careless driving less than a year ago, I’m sorry.”
Councillor McColl’s motion was agreed by the committee.
source:
http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/news/rou ... plication/
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