Taxi Driver Online

Slightly alarmist headline here when you consider it's about the twice yearly routine inspections (not spot-checks) and there are a couple of thousands tests each year.

Hundreds of Aberdeen taxis fail road safety tests

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/new ... ety-tests/


Image: Evening Express

Almost 300 taxis in the city have failed safety checks this year, new figures have revealed.

Statistics from Aberdeen City Council show 295 taxis did not pass the safety checks this year – though this decreased slightly from 301 from the year before.

The number of safety checks conducted also decreased over a three-year period, with 3,118 done in 2016, 2,929 the following year and 2,518 this year.

Of those checked, 2,765 passed in 2016, 2,628 in 2017 and 2,223 this year,

Under national legislation, local authorities must not make a profit or loss from costs associated with the licensing regime.

There is no cost to the council for carrying out the checks, any re-tests after a fail are charged at £33 and the fees to cover the costs of the two tests for each vehicle is included in the grant or renewal of licence application fee.

An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: “Taxi or private hire car (PHC) tests are designed to ensure the vehicle is safe for use in terms of Section 10(2) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

“Aberdeen City Council, as the licensing authority, has a duty in relation to public safety and to the convenience and travelling needs of the public – therefore vehicles are required to meet a higher standard than those set down in the separate MOT test.

“All operators and drivers have access to a comprehensive taxi-testing manual which has been created by the council to support the preparation of each vehicle for testing.”

Convener of the licensing committee, John Reynolds, said the checks taxis and private hire vehicles undergo are “much stricter” than an MOT.

He added: “We have two inspections each year – which increases your chance of failing.

“A number of taxi drivers do not go in prepared and very minor and simple things like a missing first aid kit or a loose sign can be a fail.

“These are minor issues, but can look poorly in statistics.

“These things can be avoided if the driver puts in the work before and gets them fixed.

“From a licensing committee point of view, we want to make sure private hire cars and taxis are safe and people feel safe using them.

“We put a lot of pressure on the drivers that vehicles remain up to scratch.”

A spokesman for the Aberdeen Taxi Group declined to comment on the figures.

2016 Tests: 3,118
2017 Tests: 2,929
2018 Tests: 2,518

2016 Passes: 2,765
2017 Passes: 2,628
2018 Passes: 2,223

2016 Pass rate: 88.7%
2017 Pass rate: 89.7%
2018 Pass rate: 88.3%

So pretty consistent pass rate over the three years, then.

And at just under 90% I don't think that's a bad pass rate in the national context.

Interesting though how the numbers tested have declined significantly - wonder why that is? Of course, if the numbers are for a calendar year then the 2018 figure can't be complete yet, so not comparing like-with-like

Anyone else happen to know the percentage pass rate in their area?

i think a third of taxis here the fail is usually the roof light not working correctly so not all fails are actually safety related

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Those figures compare favourably with PSV pass rates which from memory are around 88% first time or pass rectified on site (minor items which can be fixed at the testing station).

Lorry figures are lower at about 74%; private cars down to about 60%, and white vans 45% first time pass.

As you say, a lot of fails are for minor items; the commonest on buses is headlamp aim and brake imbalance, after silly things like first aid kits and the like.

Are these really 'safety' issues?

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IDFIMH