Taxi Driver Online

City's taxis have used the wrong papers for 23 years

TaxiTaxis in Cambridge have been operating with incorrect paperwork for 23 years, the News can reveal. Incorrect Certificate of Compliances (CoC), or taxi MoTs, have been issued to drivers for more than two decades by Cambridge City Council, which is the licensing authority.

After realising their error, red-faced council chiefs even paid for a normal MoT for one taxi driver out of taxpayers’ money because he feared prosecution. Taxis are given the permit instead of an MoT, and it is needed for valid insurance and road tax.

The authority has been handing them out using section 43 of the Road Traffic Act 1972, but the Road Traffic Act 1988 scrapped the whole of the previous 1972 Act – making it invalid. This could mean that the taxis’ insurance is also invalid and drivers could face a fine of up to £1,000.

Karl Stamper, a licensed Cambridge taxi driver, has already had a normal MoT for his vehicle paid for by the council, fearing it may have been operating illegally. He said: “It is incredible. I don’t know what they have been doing in Cambridge but it could have meant serious consequences for taxi drivers and still could if something isn’t done quickly.”

Bryan Roland, general secretary of the National Private Hire Association, warned taxi drivers in the city they were operating illegally. He said: “I first identified this problem when a taxi driver was stopped by police and told his vehicle didn’t have an MoT and they gave him a fixed penalty notice.

“He went to court with his CoC and the clerk checked it, saying it wasn’t legitimate, and he was fined. “In effect, taxi drivers in Cambridge are driving illegally.”

A spokeswoman for the DfT said: “The 1988 Road Traffic Act repealed the 1972 Act but any question on legality would be for a court to decide in any individual case.”

Jas Lally, the council’s head of environmental services, admitted the mistake and vowed correct certificates will be issued to drivers. He said: “The wording is currently being examined and reviewed.

“There are no new tests to be undertaken, as vehicles have gone through a complete MoT test previously and all that is required is an amendment to the Certificate of Compliance.”

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IDFIMH

Would that make Hundreds and hundreds of Taxi Insurances Invalid for 23 years as well? and every single fare collected over 23 years done so by technically Unlicensed Taxis....oops!! should all that customer money not be handed back as it may have been illegally obtained??

That makes for quite a Pandoras box of 23 years worth of Motoring and other offences.


Operating with no MOT would get me in deeeeeeeeeeeep sh*t.....why not them?

We also are issued with a certificate of compliance not an mot certificate does that mean our insurance is invalid as well ?

And what did the council mean by changing the wording was it just some wording wrong in which case surely they could issue corrected certificates to all drivers ?

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

I think the problem is that the wording on the certificate of complience stated section 43 of the 1972 road traffic act and it should have stated section 43 of the 1988 road traffic act.

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Grandad,

Mine does state under section 45 of the road traffic act 1988 but on trying to find info on the net there is a lot of mention of private hire requiring an actual MOT so does that mean they get a cheaper test then we currently pay £59 every 6 months

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

this SHOULD sound the death knel for the CofC but somehow i doubt it, councils are NEVER wrong are they......

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Do I remember a thread on here saying that at the time of a Cert. of Compliance test that if asked, and on paying an extra £4(?), that councils HAVE to issue an MOT certificate as well ?

I don't think the council has to issue an MOT, even if they could, but the testing garage can issue one. Sometimes for nothing, other times for up to the full price.

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IDFIMH

So a Taxi does not need an MOT??

The certificate of compliance takes the place of an MOT.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Not under the act good old Cambridge were using it dont!

ffs....them f*ckers are simple too.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I wonder if there will be any heads rolling for this? Probably not, I mean anybody can make a mistake

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

yeah....like London licensing people who really like kids!

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

camden council......ombudsman report

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin