council keeping quietA taxi driver accused of using a mobile phone while behind the wheel has been hauled before the council's licensing committee – but the Burton Mail cannot tell you his punishment, if he received one at all.
A passenger travelling in the cab filmed the taxi driver, reportedly from Five Ten taxis, who was speaking on a mobile phone while driving down Ashby Road over the Christmas period, then reported him.
East Staffordshire Borough Council, which issues licences for taxis, confirmed it was investigating and that its licensing committee had now held a hearing with the driver.
However, the Burton Mail cannot reveal the result of the hearing, as the meeting was held in private and the council does not consider the result to be a public matter.
After being asked to reveal the outcome, a spokesman for the council declined, and said: "The council is dealing with the matter in accordance with its usual procedures and will not be making any further comments at this time."
Despite repeated attempts to find out the result, the council has stood firm and will not reveal any further information about the case.
After the incident the father of three now says he refuses to take his children in the cabs. He said: "I am disgusted with the total disregard to passengers and public safety. My children use cabs, and they are paid to take you to your destination safely.
"The roads in Burton are not the easiest and traffic can appear from anywhere. To have personal calls and down a main road like Ashby Road at any time of day is dangerous and using a mobile phone makes it an accident waiting to happen.
"It's appalling behaviour with disregard to the law and safety to others. It makes a mockery of the law and quite honestly is putting mine and other people's lives at risk, while getting paid to do so."
Five Ten taxis told the Burton Mail that it takes all complaints very seriously and was also looking into the matter – but it is the council that holds the power over licensing.
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