Taxi Driver Online

A few talking points here - for a start, I assumed from the headline this was about an LO, but looks like a parking enforcement officer.

Then there's the ten points penalty, which I'd guess most readers would assume is some sort of DVLA licence thing, but it's presumably a licensing enforcement points scheme, but there's zero explanation in that regard.

He was lucky to get away with a very short suspension, though. Interesting to compare with the Bath driver last week and the school run stuff, but on the other hand there's no mention of any history here. Although, of course, the press report last week didn't mention any history either


Private hire driver keeps his licence but given 10 points after pushing enforcement officer

https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/pr ... t-officer/

A private hire driver who pushed an enforcement officer after being issued a parking ticket kept their licence, a meeting heard.

The incident happened outside a school where the driver was carrying his daughter who had “allegedly damaged her ankle”.

A report to Bedford Borough Council’s General Licensing Committee last week (December 14) said there was a discussion between the driver and the officer, who eventually walked away.

It added that the officer was pursued by the driver who appeared to push the officer before the officer pushed him back.

The incident was captured on a body-worn camera.

The report added that two teachers repeatedly told the driver to calm down.

Committee members heard that the private hire driver was suspended for one week, but kept their licence, despite this being a “very serious matter.”

Councillor Leigh Coombs (Lib Dem, Shortstown) said: “Professional drivers should be setting an example, let alone outside of school.

“But certainly demonstrating violence towards an official outside of a school in front of children, I find that really, really, concerning.

“I would hope that perhaps this council has the ability to come down very hard in circumstances like this.

“And [it] has the full support of members that instances like this. Potentially [this] could warrant revoking of their licence. This is not acceptable, I think we do need to send a strong message.”

Lee Phanco, chief officer for assessment, application & business support, said: “I did consider very carefully whether it would be appropriate to revoke the licence taking into account all the circumstances.

“My conclusion was that although it was an extremely serious matter, and certainly something that we wouldn’t want to see repeated, given the particular circumstances revocation wasn’t appropriate.

“Obviously I can’t go into too much detail about the particular incident in a public meeting, but it was given very careful consideration, I can assure you of that.

“The 10-point penalty was quite a considerable penalty. Hopefully, it was a one-off incident in a particular set of circumstances and the driver has learnt his lesson.”

The driver was suspended for one week and had 10 penalty points imposed for “rudeness towards, failure to cooperate with or obstruction of a council officer”.

Wonder if there were any consequences for the enforcement officer? I mean, was there any need to push the driver back? Of course, the officer may have felt threatened, but no sign of that in the narrative here...


So he could have revoked under delegated powers for a relatively minor incident like this?

And not clear whether his meeting was kind of double jeopardy and he could have been revoked by the committee, or whether just reviewing the official's decision...


Why not? Not clear precisely why such a secret squirrel approach required here

What a prize numpty?

If the officer was walking away, let him.

Getting involved after that was as stupid as stupid can be.

The driver could have been charged with common assault if the police got involved, so in effect, he is incredibly lucky with how this has turned out for him.

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IDFIMH

some people wrongly assume that agression will get some sort of cancellation. Once that ticket is issued it is electronically recorded and can't be unissued.

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