Taxi Driver Online

Two former cab drivers have become night-time uniformed taxi inspectors in the first scheme of its kind in the country.

Four officers are being hired by Nottingham City Council to patrol busy ranks and streets into the early hours.

Passengers worried about safety, especially women finding their way home alone, can ask for help from the team who will also call police if they spot any trouble on the ranks.

Antony Gadsby and Mahfuz Hussain are the first two inspectors hired as part of the £90,000-a-year project and they will eventually be joined by two other officers.

They will patrol in pairs between noon and 3am, dressed in high-visibility jackets and baseball caps.

The officers will have legal powers to check taxi drivers' insurance documents and will inspect vehicles for cleanliness and roadworthiness.

They will ensure drivers are licensed and aim to deter illegal out-of-town operators picking up fares in the city.

Jim Mortell, taxi licensing team leader, said the project was aimed at increasing public safety.

"The new uniformed officers are an overt presence on the streets, acting as a visible deterrent to taxi drivers who should not be touting for trade in the city and also a point of contact in case passengers need any advice or reassurance," said Mr Mortell.

The city has more than 2,100 licensed taxi drivers, 21 private hire operators and almost 1,600 vehicles in use as private hire and hackney carriages.

Three similar enforcement officers - not in uniform - have been operating during the day for the last 19 years.

They make about 70 prosecutions each year, mainly for the offence of illegally plying for hire.

The new officers will check that parked private hire vehicles are only picking up pre-booked fares, and will cross-check with the firm's control room.

Mr Mortell urged customers to play their part by only flagging down green hackney carriages or booking private cabs. Only in hackney carriages will the authorities know the identity of the driver.

The new team will operate mainly in the city centre, but will make occasional spot checks elsewhere.

The move was prompted by meetings with legitimate taxi drivers and high-profile cases, such as pirate taxi firm Abbey Cabs.

Owners Abdul Rashid and Taj Mohammed claimed they did not need a licence because the council failed to properly ratify a law on taxi regulation in 1976, but their bid failed when the pair received criminal convictions and an interim injunction.

Coun Brian Grocock, transport spokesman for the city council, said: "This new team is good both for passengers and for reputable taxi businesses.

"Passengers can feel safer knowing that the taxis they use are legal, roadworthy and insured and that the drivers are properly licensed."

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Given Nottingham's reputation, if they didn't patrol in pairs it would have to be baseball bats.

But I don't know why they want to dress in chav-gear anyway

But the scheme is interesting, because it seems to be a hybrid between the traditional enforcement officer and the newer taxi rank warden concept.

Seems a good idea, in principle at least, and I could see it being copied.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Personally i think this is a good idea too, and can only serve to benefit the public and with that in mind put more pennies in to the coffers of every decent Cabbie out there surely

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!