Taxi Driver Online

Trowbridge taxi driver condemns police clampdown

https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news ... lamp-down/

A WILTSHIRE Police clamp down today on taxis and private hire cars who fail to carry/display a licence or comply with vehicle safety guidelines has been criticised by one of the taxi drivers who was stopped.


The police response when they see Mr Ricaud's headlight out

Officers from the Road Safety Unit, working with the Tri-Force Roads Policing Unit and Wiltshire Council, worked throughout the day to stop taxis and private hire cars in and around Chippenham, Trowbridge and Melksham.

Of the 52 vehicles stopped during the operation, one was immediately removed from the road through an immediate prohibition imposed by Wiltshire Police.

A number of drivers were awarded sanctions from Wiltshire Council for both lack of safety equipment and failure to carry or display a licence.

But Trowbridge taxi driver Andy Ricaud, 47, condemned the clamp down as a “blatant misuse” of public funds and criticised the way in which it had been carried out.

“I am just a bit aggrieved about why they had to do it and how much of the public purse was spent on it. In my eyes, it was unnecessary.

“We have six-monthly checks and MoTs and I check my vehicle’s tyres and headlights every day to make sure they are okay.”

“The emergency services are there for a reason, not to blatantly misused for the services of the council,” said Andy, a taxi driver for the past 16 years.

He was stopped by police using blue flashing lights while on his way home to change a bulb in a front headlight.

“I told them that I wasn’t working and that I was on my way home. The council officer with them seemed to be getting a buzz from them pulling people over.”

But Simon Drewett, Head of the Road Safety Unit at Wiltshire Police, said: “This is the second such operation that we have undertaken in partnership with Wiltshire Council within as many months.

“It was pleasing to see that the vast majority of drivers take an obvious pride in their vehicles, and this of course is in line with the standards set for those operating within the taxi and private hire business.

“Our efforts today were clearly appreciated by the majority and it is in the interest of all parties to deter those that seek to cut corners and bring a bad name to the profession”.

Danial Farr, Compliance Officer at Wiltshire Council said: “When you turn to licensed transport as a means of travel, you must be able to do so in complete confidence; whether in respect of vehicle safety or the professionalism and suitability of the driver in question.

“With the party season just around the corner, we will undoubtedly be looking at drivers within the evening and night time economies in order to ensure that standards continue to be met.”

whenever they have done it round here (thrice in 25 years) it has always been police on bikes ordering you to attend a garage where they are waiting to check the vehicles not normally roadside checks but the whole point is to keep you on your toes and avoid complacency

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

On his way home to change the bulb ? Yeah, right.

Depending on the vehicle, there’s no excuse for not carrying spare bulbs and changing them at the roadside/garage forecourt. If it’s nightmare to change you should still be carrying spares.

Problem is this trade has too many drivers who don't look after their vehicles, and these stops are there to help the trade be rid of them.

Inconvenient they may be, but they are a necessity in my view.

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IDFIMH

To be fair, given how difficult it is to change some headlight bulbs, it's certainly a job I'd prefer to do at home, especially on my last motor, although current one is a good bit easier. So if a bulb went late at night, I'd probably just leave it until getting home, although I have got spares in the car if absolutely necessary.

That said, not sure what he's getting on his high horse about - even if he was genuinely unlucky, he's basically saying police should never be able to stop *any* car, and doubt if he'll incur much in the way of punishment anyway. In fact, he's probably made it potentially worse for himself by saying the LO was getting a kick out of stopping the motors etc