Taxi Driver Online

Big crack down on taxi drivers who break the rules

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton ... rs-3913590

Three councils have joined forced to tackle cabbie issues

Councils in East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire are teaming up to crack down on rule-breaking cabbies.

Current legislation governing taxis leaves councils extremely restricted when stopping drivers in their jurisdiction that have been licensed elsewhere.

For councils where drivers often cross between district boundaries such as through East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire this is a frequent issue.

A licensing officer for South Derbyshire stopping a taxi licensed in East Staffordshire, for example, has “no authority” other than to refer them back to their licensing authority.

But now, the three district and borough councils are signing a joint agreement to delegate powers to each other.

It will mean that each of the three councils could stop drivers from each of the three authority areas and: inspect their licences, test their vehicles and suspend their licences if the vehicles do not pass the required tests.

A report written by South Derbyshire District Council on the plan says: “These proposals will continue to demonstrate to members of the public that the council takes the protection of local residents, children, and vulnerable adults from the potential harms of private hire licensing seriously, which contributes to the value of taking pride in our place and striving for excellence in all we do.”

It says it has become “increasingly difficult to regulate drivers and vehicles operating within South Derbyshire licensed by other authorities, in particular North West Leicestershire District Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council”.

South Derbyshire officers wrote: “In order to address this issue and to try and improve driver and vehicle standards, officers have worked with the other two licensing authorities to find a way to work in partnership and conduct enforcement across licensing boundaries.”

Taxi and private hire drivers can have their licences suspended for a whole host of reasons, some of which refer to the vehicle itself.

This includes a vehicle that is too old or has been kept in too poor of a condition.

Meanwhile, drivers must obey the rules of the road and not be abusive to passengers.

Some drivers may have had additional conditions attached to their licences due to previous transgressions.

This can follow breaches such as undisclosed criminal convictions, up-to-date background checks or failure to disclose receiving points on their license for speeding.

So no HCs working across borders that could also be considered?


Thanks for clarifying that

this covers east midlands Airport and Donington park where a few have been caught up to no good

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

Wouldn't it be a good idea if every council signed a joint agreement with every other council?

Maybe the IoL could sort this and do something positive for the trade for once.

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IDFIMH

They could even agree a common set of standards....

Easier said than done, I suspect.

Of course, in the grand scheme of things it surely wouldn't be difficult for Parliament to pass legislation to achieve this, but again easier said than done.

Indeed, but again easier said than done. The story the other day about the Tyneside age rule that a dozen or more councils there are trying to agree on being a case in point.

be careful what you wish for they might decide that the common standard is for electric wav's at £58k a pop

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