justified or petty ?A TAXI driver has been suspended for 10 weeks due to town hall chiefs' concerns he was not taking the conditions of his licence seriously enough.
A meeting of Bolton Council’s licensing sub-committee took the step after coming to the conclusion he was ‘not a fit and proper person’ for the job at this time.
The driver had committed a speeding offence last June, but while this was viewed as a minor transgression under the council’s policy, he had failed to declare it for 86 days.
The committee heard he had also been before the committee five years ago for failing to declare an offence, incurring a one-week suspension at that time.
And members were also told how, in March, 2013, a complaint was received about the driver alleging dangerous driving on a motorway.
A member of the public reported that he caused other drivers to swerve and he also had a passenger in the front seat at the time.
The complaint was recorded by the council's licensing unit but no further action was taken at the time.
Minutes from the meeting, which was held in private, said: “Three members were concerned that the driver had failed to declare his conviction in 2012 and had been 86 days late in declaring the conviction from 2017."
They felt he was not taking the conditions of his licence seriously and was developing a pattern of bad driving habits. It has also come to light during the meeting that the driver had undertaken a speed awareness course for a speeding offence in 2017.
Drivers have a duty to adhere to speed limits at all times and exceeding them can be a real danger to public safety. Drivers have a duty to drive carefully at all times, particularly when carrying passengers, as public safety was paramount.
It has also come to light during the meeting that the driver had undertaken a speed awareness course for a speeding offence in 2017.
The driver’s licence had expired on January 24, 2018 and the panel concluded there was "reasonable cause" to renew and suspend the licence – which expired on January 24, as both "a warning and as a deterrent".
I wonder if the licensing committee all have little moustaches
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