Taxi Driver Online

Danger taxis pulled off Southport roads in cab crackdown

MORE than 100 taxis were found operating on our roads with faults between September and November. Problems with tyres, lights and bodywork were among reasons for handing out 122 Vehicle Deficiency Notices (VDNs) to drivers during that period. Another 26 cabs were pulled off the road after inspectors decided they were too dangerous to drive.

The figures were revealed in a report to the Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Joint Working Group, which is meeting on Tuesday morning. From September 2 to November 22 this year, 387 taxis were inspected by council enforcement officers. Of the 57 Hackney Carriages checked, 25 were found to have faults.

Those issued with VDNs consisted of problems with exhausts, lights, seating and bodywork. More seriously, four of the 57 were taken from the road after it was decided they were unfit to drive. In total, 330 private hire taxis were inspected – 98 of which were given VDNs and 22 forced to stop operating as nearly 40% were found to be faulty.

George Halsall, of the North Sefton Hackney Carriage Association, expressed his concern over the amount of vehicles that were forced to be taken off the borough’s roads. He did, however, urge caution over interpreting the amount of cars given VDNs, revealing deficiencies included minor faults such as broken bulbs on lights inside the cars and scratches more than an inch long.

Mr Halsall said: “I think quite a lot of the vehicle checks were minor defaults, such as bulbs out. “What worries me is how many stop notices there are because they are real big issues. Whereas the defects can happen anytime, most drivers that I know do check their vehicles daily.”

Mr Halsall hailed the figures as representative of progress in improving the standard of taxi safety on our roads. He said: “Because we have extra teams the council are stepping up their checks on the vehicles, which is good.”

With trade expected to rise over the festive period Mr Halsall urged party-goers not to get into private hire taxis unless they are pre-booked, otherwise the passengers are not insured in the case of an accident.

TWO Sefton taxi drivers were also banned for “people smuggling”.

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IDFIMH

Thats almost 50%





CC

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

VDN notices( vehicle damage notice).... also given to any vehicle sustaining accident damage.... all vehicles involved in an accident have to report this to Sefton Council.... sO these vehicles will be included in the figures shown, A stop notice will also be given to any accident damaged vehicle that is too badly damaged ..
Mr George Halsall... is relatively new... and his statement... stepping UP inspections. is incorrect.... vehicles are inspected continuously... road side.... and by random selection to be presented on a set date.. which are every week..

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Go on Mr T you tell 'em how it is......

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

Me .... you know I am extremely shy... and hardly ever say anything ... plus the fact I do everything in my power to make sure drivers have no rights.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Yeah, you're quiet as mouse

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

So basically all this means is that the restricted HCs are no better - or perhaps worse - than the unrestricted PH?

Why does everything come down to restriction or derestriction. Perhaps you should have all the information before you make comparisons, at least then it will be a valid and unbias comparison

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

I really don't know - perhaps you should ask people like yourself who support restricted numbers and make the case that this raises standards. Or Mr T. Or Captain Cab. Or Blackpool. Or Doom.

In case you hadn't noticed I'm not the one making the case.




Well perhaps the most scientific analysis in recent years was the OFT's, which as I recall it found no difference when it analysed the safety statistics.

But you don't need to be the brain of britain to conclude that standards have little or nothing to do with restricted numbers, so if the likes of the above can help demonstrate the self-serving nature of the argument then why not point it out, even if it doesn't suit your own particular purposes?

Or perhaps you could proffer valid and unbiased evidence to support the case that restricted numbers raises standards?

Its a little like Dusty himself....he turns up everytime theres something a looming in the cab trade.....last time we saw him this much it was of OFT report.....now its the Law Commission.

CC

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

Stuck record comes to mind

So I take it from this diversion that neither yourself nor Blackpool have anything to say about the actual point being made?

Thought not.

And in any case your point is predictably ill-informed and half-baked. I was a regular poster on taxi forums since early 2002 - which was way before the OFT announced its investigation and indeed way before you became a regular - and was a regular for several years after that, and of course if it hadn't been for yours truly TDO would never have existed, and the site's advent had nothing directly to do with the OFT investigation - it would have happened anyway.

And I've come and gone several times since then, but not really anything to do with the wider taxi world - indeed I didn't even read the Transport Committee stuff earlier this year - and the specific reasons are many and varied.

Having said that the LC's project has stimulated my interest slightly, and why not? After all it makes a change from the usual banalities, but if I was really that interested in it then I'd be working on something to submit to them rather than getting involved with the frivolities on here.

And of course others like Blackpool and Doom only seemed to reappear when their vested interest looked like it may be threatened, but of course no mention of that because they're on the right side.

Indeed, you could say much the same about the national groups. I seem to recall articles by yourself about some such groups disappearing back to their 'sleepy hollows' once the OFT had been seen off, and indeed you've been doubly vindicated by the recent re-emergence of some such groups now that the Law Commission's work commenced, so well said on that one

But your criticism of Dusty is a bit unfair, even if I say so myself

No but if you ask me a question I'll do my best to answer it.

CC

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

Change the subject, why don't you. Again

I'm at a loss which scientific analysis you may be referring too, any chance you could post it for me please. Also for the record, again, I'm not an advocate of restriction of vehicles as such, it's just that derestriction doesn't work unless you restrict by imposing an expensive model type as part of the deal so that just creates a restriction via means to purchase. Strange thing the free market

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