http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/news/article/4131/operation_to_check_taxi_and_private_hire_vehicle_safetyThe council’s taxi licensing team is carrying out spot check operations to make sure vehicles, drivers and passengers are safe.
Licensing officers and MOT testers from the council plus the police, HM Revenue & Customs and DVSA joined forces to check on ten vehicles on Saturday.
thats a low number Five vehicles passed the checks with flying colours, while four vehicles had some minor issues including livery stickers not being displayed correctly and a driver not wearing a badge. All of these were resolved by the taxi licensing team.
One driver was caught by police using his mobile phone - just days after new laws imposing increased penalties came in on using a phone behind the wheel.
Further problems were found in the vehicle including a serious problem with the steering, which led to his private hire vehicle being issued with an immediate prohibition from DVSA and his vehicle licence was suspended.
West Midlands Police supported the operation by stopping the vehicles, DVSA officers inspected the vehicles with the assistance of the MOT Testers and HMRC dipped fuel tanks to check vehicles were not using red diesel.
Staff from the taxi licensing team and police officers also checked vehicles for vulnerable individuals who could be at risk of being exploited. Happily nobody was found to be at risk.
Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for public health and protection Councillor Preet Gill said: “This was an encouraging operation and, a few small matters withstanding, nine out of 10 of these taxis had a clean bill of health.
"Our taxi licensing team are carrying out these checks randomly around once every month. These checks are really useful to make sure that passengers using taxis in Sandwell are kept safe.”
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