Taxi driver has his licence suspended A Carlisle taxi driver who, it was claimed, clocked speeds of almost 90mph on the motorway and drove through a residential area of the city at 50mph has had his licence suspended for two weeks.
Sait Colak, of Botchergate, came before Carlisle City Council’s Regulatory Panel after four complaints were made against him.
Members heard how in two separate incidents the 42-year-old broke the speed limit on the M6, while others said he refused a short fare from Carlisle Citadel Station and that his meter was prematurely set to night tariff.
The council’s licensing manager Sue Stashkiw witnessed him driving on the motorway.
She told members he came to her attention while waiting at traffic lights on the roundabout at J44 on Sunday, June 26.
She took the same route as Mr Colak, who had no passenger on board, from the junction onto the southbound carriageway of the M6.
Mrs Stashkiw said he sped off down the slip road and gathered speed to get ahead of a lorry, meaning it had to “immediately pull out into the middle lane.” She watched as she said he changed lanes without indicating.
“I in no way could keep up with him. I was travelling at 70mph and I lost him well before junction 43,” she said.
Another complaint came from one of two passengers taken from Carlisle to Appleby train station by Mr Colak.
He said: “I noticed he was not sticking to the 30mph speed limit and as we got further down London Road, past the eastern bypass turn off he was hitting 50mph.
“We got to the M6 junction and the brakes were jammed on sending my bag flying across the floor. Whilst driving down the motorway he was hitting close to 90mph and with one hand on the wheel.”
Representing Mr Colak, Keith Thomas, a partner at LT Law in Carlisle, said his client contends that the complainant was “somewhat unpleasant and hostile to him when he spoke to him, realising that Mr Colak was from eastern Europe.”
Mr Thomas argued his account was not supported by the other passenger.
Commenting on the licensing manager’s account, Mr Thomas said: “It may be that it was not a case of brilliant driving but there’s not been an accident and in my submission when you look at that and the other allegations they certainly do not justify dealing with him by way of taking away his livelihood.”
The panel suspended Mr Colak’s taxi driving licence for a period of two weeks and said he must re-take his Driving Standards Agency Taxi Driving Test within that time or a soon as he could.
Mr Colak, has no penalty points or previous driving convictions.
source:
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/lates ... 96b92d1-ds
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