Cabbies 'running rings' around council
TAXI drivers in Worcester are getting away with parking on double yellow lines and over-ranking because legal loopholes have left enforcement officers powerless.
Traffic wardens and licensing officers are currently being outfoxed by wily taxi drivers caught committing offences.
As a result, they are getting away with being issued with penalty points which, over time or depending on the seriousness of the offence, can result in their licences being taken away.
Councillor David Clark, chairman of Worcester City Council’s licensing committee, said: “Until we get this sorted, the taxi trade is running rings around us.”
Coun Clark said when some drivers saw officers, they switched off their lights to make it look like they were not touting for business, because that was one way that prevented them being reprimanded.
He also said the law stated that traffic wardens had to wait up to five minutes before they could issue a taxi driver with a ticket.
He said: “If they see them on double yellow lines they have to actually watch them for five minutes but, of course, the taxi drivers go off in that time and nothing happens.
“That’s stupid. Our officers are a bit powerless.”
Taxi drivers in Worcester are allowed to accrue up to 20 points a year before being hauled before a subcommittee.
At the moment, licensing officers are not authorised by the Road Traffic Act to issue four penalty points when drivers illegally park in loading and disabled bays.
That is currently being investigated by regulatory services management but it is believed it is not going to be easy to resolve.
Coun Clark says he has had enough of the attitude of some taxi drivers and thinks it is time they acted more responsibly.
He said: “This over-ranking has got to come to an end. They just say they’re trying to run a business but if you go into the city, you have to park legally and so should they.
“If they don’t then I don’t think they are a fit and proper person if they continually break the law.”
Worcester City Council has just approved plans to introduce two new taxi ranks – one for five spaces in New Street and one for four spaces in Angel Place, both night time only – while signs are to be corrected at the rank in Foregate Street to reduce the capacity down from eight to six vehicles.
Coun Clark said by creating more ranking spaces, it showed the council was trying to work with the taxi trade but drivers had to meet them half-way.
Nobody from Worcester Taxi Drivers Association was available for comment.
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/891 ... d_council/
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