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Cops crack down on city’s taxi pirates




Police launch first ever stop and search on private hire cars registered outside Glasgow

EXCLUSIVE by DAVID LEASK Investigations Reporter

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13 Dec 2011


PIRATE taxis are being targeted in Glasgow as part of a pre-Christmas crackdown.

Police and council officials today revealed they have launched their first ever stop and searches on private hire cars registered outside the city.

The move comes after an Evening Times investigation revealed drivers, most from out of town, where illegally picking up fares from unofficial ranks in the city centre, often charging passengers double the normal fares.

Until now Glasgow City Council’s taxi enforcement team has been unable to search taxis or private hire cabs registered outside the city – but can do so with the help of the police.

The team has doubled patrols this month, inspecting 129 cars last week alone as they aim to drive the pirates off city streets.

On just one patrol this weekend they checked 30 cars, issuing 18 of them with immediate suspension notices.

Cars facing a ban include:
six from East Renfrewshire without working brake lights;
three from Glasgow whose tires were bald;
three from East Dunbartonshire whose seatbelts were defective and had bald tires.

Police and council inspectors said 10 of the cars they stopped were from Glasgow, six of whom face bans, and the rest were from outside the city.

Of the 20 out-of-town drivers stopped, three were not able to produce a valid driving licence.

Frank Docherty, the councillor who chairs Glasgow’s licensing committee, which regulates the taxi trade, said: “It’s important that we protect our honest, licensed traders.

“They shouldn’t have to worry about people crossing borders to steal work from under their noses.

“The council has its own enforcement unit and, this year, it is working more closely than ever before with police colleagues – carrying out around twice as many patrols as the party season gets into full swing.

“We know where these guys like to tout for business and we are quite prepared to follow them around town all night, making a nuisance of ourselves.


We have no idea if the driver behind the wheel is a fit and proper person

“If we see a private car picking up on the street we’ll knock on the window and find out what they are all about. We’ll also take the opportunity to inspect the vehicle and the driver’s credentials.

“Already this year, we have seen evidence of some rogue operators eventually giving up and going home when faced with that kind of disruption. That’s a success.”

The joint police team will report anyone breaking the rules to their licensing authority – and cars with defects could be taken off the road on-the-spot.

A council spokesman said the enforcement team believe some drivers were put off from pirating by their increased patrols.

The Evening Times last month identified “shadow” ranks across the city centre.

These are often close to the four official “Nite Zone” ranks, at Albion Street, Byres Road, Gordon Street and Sauchiehall Street.

During the first quarter of 2011, 182,231 people were picked up at the four marshalled ranks – an increase of 5366 on the same period in 2010.

Private hire cabs are allowed to pick up passengers in Glasgow only if they have been phoned. They can’t tout for business on the street. When they do, they and their passengers are uninsured.

Mr Docherty added: “There is a very real safety issue here. We have no idea if a car licensed outside Glasgow is safe and we have no idea if the driver behind the wheel is a fit and proper person.

“Even worse, when people get into cars on unofficial ranks, they can start using cars that are not licensed anywhere.

“It does happen, it is very dangerous and we don’t want it becoming a problem in Glasgow.”

Stephen Flynn, vice chairman of Glasgow Taxis Ltd, said: “We warmly welcome any moves by Strathclyde Police and council to ensure the city centre is as safe a place as possible for those living, working, socialising and visiting there.

“The best advice we can offer those travelling home from the city centre late at night is to use one of Glasgow’s four taxi Nite Zones, which are well-lit, staffed with marshals and monitored by CCTV.”

Formal complaints about taxis and private hire cars can be made via the Glasgow City Council website, www.glasgow.gov.uk












http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/cops ... -1.1139512

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

Find that very hard to believe - more likely that they had a bulb out.

But more to the point there's nothing in the article to suggest that any driver was done for touting or plying.



Incredible - he's basically saying that he has no faith in the licensing system elsewhere.

And also implying that Glasgow's system is beyond reproach

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It was Strathclyde police stopping vehicles.

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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Maybe if East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire cabs stopped driving about Glasgow with their roof lights on chancing their arm there wouldn't be the need and it's well known the amount of pirating that goes on at the Kings Theatre at weekends by East Renfrewshire cars, are you honestly gonna tell me that every hire picked up there is prebooked cos if you do I don't believe you. Are you honestly gonna say it doesn't happen or you've never done it, if you haven't then you're one of the few? Even got PH ranking outside Central Station opposite the Taxi Rank.
No one has any objection to out of town cars picking up return booked fares but the town is full of PH cars ranking up chancing their arm outside pubs & clubs when the pubs unload. Just shows how little work they've got of their own got if they have to pirate. and now when the police and enforcement start taking action you don't like it. Well tough, you've been getting away with it for too long. Abide by the rules and you won't have a problem.
East Renfrewshire Council issues East Renfrewshire Cabs with a licence to serve the people of East Renfrewshire, same goes for the other areas but too often out of town cars just see it as a cheap way of working Glasgow, why else do East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire plated cars work a Glasgow radio system such as Hampden cars?

Steady on old chap......you might start making some sense on here, and we can't have that

CC

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

Just totally p!sses me off CC, they've been getting away with this for years with impunity, wonder how they'd like it if it was the other way around ?

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I'm glad you seem to be one of the good guys Jamie just wish there were more of you but you know as well as I do what goes on and unfortunately you're getting tarred with the same brush. I'd be surprised if you get a pull if you're not sitting at any of the "hotspots". as it's these that are being targetted for obvious reasons.
I've always said easiest way to spot a ligitimate prebooked car sitting outside a pub, club etc is to get the driver to show the job on his screen. that way it proves that it is prebooked, no job on screen then it's a pirate, seems simple eh:!:

That kind of officious stupidity would only serve to help Pirate PH's and Drivers who drive unplated and unmarked vehicles who know they are never likely to be stopped simply because Plods only looking to stop fully licenced cars from other Authorities....Its Somewhat self defeating!!

Glasgow doesn't have a problem with unplated cars it's plated PH ones from Glasgow and surrounding areas that are the problem. That's why they're being targetted and long overdue. We've even had PH sitting on HC ranks and they tell you to feck off when you dig them up about it. SECC HC rank is famous for it especially when a concert is due to come out.
Funny how when the Enforcement show up they scatter init??? Prebooked my erse!!!

The majority of the country is the same.......I tried explaining this to a journalist today....she seemed to think all of the rapists drove non licensed vehicles.....and was following up some of the mis-information given out from London.......where the PH Operators try telling everyone there is no licensed illegal plying.

ffs

CC

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

Thought that wasn't allowed under the Scottish legislation?