Taxi Driver Online

Hyndburn taxi check bans one vehicle and warns four more drivers

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... r-drivers/

FIVE taxis and private hire vehicles have been issued with safety warnings and one ordered off the road immediately, after spot checks by police and council officers.

The operation in Hyndburn - which also involved the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - took place on Friday, July 1.

On the night, 15 licensed hackney carriages and private hire cars were pulled into the council's Vehicle Maintenance Unit where a thorough inspection was carried out.

Of the 15 vehicles, one was issued with an immediate prohibition notice by the inspector from the DVSA due to faulty indicators, and two were issued with delayed prohibition notices due to more minor faults.

Although a vehicle with worn brake pads was not bad enough to be issued with a prohibition notice, the council issued an immediate suspension warning until the problem had been rectified.

A suspension notice was also issued to a vehicle which had a defective brake light.

Guidance was also given to two other drivers who met all legal obligations but could improve on some safety elements by replacing a headlamp bulb and taking action to fit new brake pads.

The spot checks are carried out in addition to the MOT inspections which are carried out every four months on all licensed vehicles.

Cllr Miles Parkinson, the leader of Hyndburn Council, said: “We take our duty to ensure all vehicles licensed in the borough are safe at all times seriously.

"Spot checks like this are carried out periodically, even though most licensed vehicles are subject to a test which is more stringent than a normal MOT test every four months.

"This ensures that our high standards are being always met. Through this additional work members of the public using vehicles licensed in Hyndburn can be assured that the vehicles are safe and suitable."

Cllr Munsif Dad, leader of the council's opposition Labour group, said: "Gradually the safety standards of licensed vehicles in the borough is improving. We welcome that.

"These checks are done regularly to ensure the safety of the passengers and to protect the drivers. It is important to make sure these vehicles are roadworthy."

Well that's a new one on me. The headlights are perfectly legal, but safety could be improved by replacing one of the bulbs?

Ditto the brake pads.


So when do brake pads not warrant a prohibition notice, but do justify an immediate suspension warning

And is that just a warning that they'll be suspended, or were they actually suspended? I mean, an immediate suspension warning until the problem has been rectified suggests they're suspended, so what's the purpose of the word 'warning'?

my understanding is that as long as the other brake light is working the vehicle is not deemed unroadworthy or has that changed ?

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

I thought that a Council can only inspect a vehicle up to 3 times a year. They have 4 monthly inspections already so are they allowed to inspect a fourth time?

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Grandad,

There could be a case made of Council officers overstepping the mark.
Section 50 states not more than 3 inspections in twelve months.
Section 68 counteracts the above but whether they can direct you to a Council test station for inspection is doubtful as the instruction has to be in writing which then could be contravening Section 50.

So the brakes weren't illegal, but the council suspended the vehicle.

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IDFIMH