Taxi Driver Online

Driver breathalysed and another three given offence notices after taxi inspections

https://warwick.nub.news/news/local-new ... ons-254494

One driver was breathalysed and another three were issued with traffic offence notices as the council carried out inspections of taxis in Warwick district.

Warwick District Council (WDC), working in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Warwickshire Police recently inspected 48 private hire vehicles to make sure they were "safe and legal".

The inspections found several issues with vehicles, including one with cords exposed on two tyres. The vehicle was immediately prohibited, and the driver issued with traffic offence notice.

One driver was also breathalysed after alcohol was found in the rear of the vehicle. The driver blew zero.

Other issues included one vehicle with tyre tread below the minimum and a defective break light, again seeing it immediately prohibited, and the driver issued with a traffic offence notice.

Another had defective breaks while a further three were also issued delayed prohibition notices by DVSA meaning they have 10 days to rectify the issue and present for another MOT.

Of the remaining 42 vehicles 10 had minor licensing infringements which will be followed up by licensing officers.

In addition, vehicles that are approved to carry passengers in wheelchairs were inspected to ensure that not only were they safe, but that the driver was confident in supporting wheelchair users to access the vehicle.

As part of the council's conduct scheme, there will also be an impact on some vehicle owners in the way of conduct points and a referral to a licensing and regulatory panel.

Cllr Jim Sinnott, portfolio holder for safer, healthier and active communities, said: "I would like to express my thanks to the council's licensing team, the DVSA and Warwickshire Police for carrying out this essential activity.

"Taxi drivers play an important role in providing transport to those that need it, so it's vital that they keep their vehicles safe and legal, protecting both their passengers and the wider community.

"We'd like to thank all 48 private hire vehicles drivers for coming to their inspection, to ensure high safety standards.

"The council takes its licensing responsibilities seriously and will not hesitate to take action to guarantee the public's safety."

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IDFIMH

I would defo question the lawfulness of requesting a breath test based on something found in the back of a motor.

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IDFIMH

Is that failed to get 147 in snooker, or maybe, no coffee when taking time off?

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

This is the original council press release - don't think there's much additional detail, but wanted to check the original for a particular angle.

And, yes Chris, it's amazing how often the word 'brakes' is misspelt in press reports and the like - including general motoring stuff. Them's the breaks, I suppose

But funny thing here is that the council's press release uses both spellings, while the press rehash above uses the misspelling both times


Council works with partners to inspect the safety of the District’s licensed vehicles

https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/news/artic ... d_vehicles

Warwick District Council, working in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Warwickshire Police, recently carried out inspections of the District’s private hire vehicles.

A total of 48 licensed vehicles were inspected to ensure they were safe and legal. In addition, vehicles that are approved to carry passengers in wheelchairs were inspected to ensure that not only were they safe, but that the driver was confident in supporting wheelchair users to access the vehicle. Local healthcare company Wenmans, based in Barford, kindly provided a wheelchair for free as part of the operation.

The inspections did find a small number of vehicles to be at fault, with immediate action taken by the Council and its partners to remove the vehicles from the road.

• One vehicle with tyre tread below minimum and defective break light – vehicle immediately prohibited, and driver issued with traffic offence notice.
• One vehicle with cords exposed on two tyres – vehicle immediately prohibited, and driver issued with traffic offence notice.
• One vehicle with defective brakes – vehicle immediately prohibited, and driver issued with traffic offence notice.
• One driver was also breathalysed after alcohol was found in the rear of the vehicle. The driver blew zero.
• Three further vehicles were also issued delayed prohibition notices by DVSA meaning they have 10 days to rectify the issue and present for another MOT.
• Of the remaining 42 vehicles 10 had minor licensing infringements which will be followed up by Licensing officers.

As part of the Council’s conduct scheme, there will also be an impact on some vehicle owners in the way of conduct points and a referral to a Licensing and Regulatory Panel.

Councillor Jim Sinnott, Portfolio Holder for Safer, Healthier and Active Communities, said: “I would like to express my thanks to the Council’s Licensing team, the DVSA and Warwickshire Police for carrying out this essential activity. Taxi drivers play an important role in providing transport to those that need it, so it’s vital that they keep their vehicles safe and legal, protecting both their passengers and the wider community.

"We'd like to thank all 48 private hire vehicles drivers for coming to their inspection, to ensure high safety standards.

“The Council takes its licensing responsibilities seriously and will not hesitate to take action to guarantee the public’s safety.”

Very odd that - has a similar exercise ever been reported involving so many cars, and all PHVs?

And the other angle I was curious about was the councillor thanking the PHDs for 'coming to their inspection', which sounds more like the annual tests or similar rather than spotchecks.

I thought maybe the press had misrepresented it somehow, but it's the same in the official news release.

Maybe it's pretty meaningless, and just a turn of phrase

maybe he's a tea drinker ?

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

I suspect they were instructed to go there by police and given an escort to ensure no runners.

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IDFIMH

Yes, Sussex, the photos released by the council to the press certainly suggest they directed the cars to a specific location, rather than the on-street checks, or the rank checks they do locally.

The wording still sounds like spinning it a tad - like thanking Axel Rudakubana for attending the police station for interview

I mean, I doubt the PHDs had much say in the matter





Bigger photo here:
https://nub.news/api/image/634234/article.jpeg

Can't find the original source for this, but maybe it's a news release that's been given to the press, and will appear on the council's website later.

But a repeat performance, basically, and not really that much to see. So again it's only PHVs (55 of them) if this is literally correct.

And again the drivers 'thanked' for rolling up for the inspection

But again looks like a specific inspection site, and to that extent they'll be asked to go there, rather than a roadside check.

But I mean it reads like what we'd call spotchecks on the one hand, but more like what we'd call formal scheduled inspections on the other. But certainly more thorough than the average spotchecks, I'd guess.

But because it's a more formal site then that probably explains why they were able to repair suspended vehicles there and then.


Council carries out inspections of the district’s licensed vehicles

https://warwick.nub.news/news/local-new ... les-263776

Working in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Warwickshire Police, Warwick District Council recently carried out inspections of the district's private hire vehicles.

A total of 55 licensed vehicles were inspected to ensure they were safe and legal.

Included in these were vehicles approved to transport passengers in wheelchairs, guaranteeing the drivers were confident in assisting wheelchair users to access their vehicles.

Cllr Jim Sinnott, Portfolio Holder for Safer, Healthier and Active Communities, said: "I would like to express my thanks to the Council's Licensing team, the DVSA and Warwickshire Police for once again carrying out these inspections.

"Taxi drivers play an important role in providing transport to those who need it, so it's vital that they keep their vehicles safe and legal, protecting both their passengers and the wider community.

"We'd like to thank all 55 private hire vehicle drivers for coming to their inspection and for cooperating with our officers to promptly resolve any issues identified.

"The Council takes its licensing responsibilities seriously and will not hesitate to take action to guarantee the public's safety."

Whilst the vast majority passed first time, issues were identified with several vehicles, including engine warning lights, a worn ball joint and a faulty steering gaiter.

Ten drivers were issued with a 10-day delayed prohibition, allowing them time to resolve the issues identified.

A further two drivers had their vehicles immediately prohibited.

These vehicles were able to be released after receiving the necessary repairs at the inspection site.

Presumably the ten given delayed prohibition notices were the engine warning lights and the like.

And the two suspensions were the worn ball joint and faulty steering gaiter, but it's not 100% clear.

But looks like they were able to repair the ball joint and steering gaiter onsite

And note how the rehash in another new source is framed - totally different from the more straight-bat headline in the piece above

(And check out the headline and compare it with the first paragraph (or maybe it's a strapline, but it's not entirely clear). Apart from a few extra words, they're both effectively identical. I don't think that's the way it's supposed to work )


Two vehicles taken off the road and ten given warnings after safety checks on private hire vehicles in Warwick district

https://www.warwickshireworld.com/news/ ... ct-5190485

Two vehicles were taken off the road for immediate repairs and another ten drivers were given warnings after safety checks were carried out on private hire vehicles in the Warwick district.

Just had a look at the original lineup again and would love to know WTF is a 'Community Warden'?

Is it an official title for a busybody?

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IDFIMH

Sussex, don't get me started on 'community wardens'

Well, to be fair, I'm thinking of the Scottish system, and I don't know if it's the same in England. But it was something that started here about twenty years ago, and I remember thinking it was a bit like the PCSO stuff down south. Except that the community wardens here had zero powers.

Although where I lived was crime-ridden dump, you never saw police on foot patrol. But suddenly we had the community wardens wandering around, up and down, round and round

Trouble is, they used to saunter round with their hands in their pockets, and looked like they had no obvious purpose. Just walking around with their hands in their pockets for the sake of it.

I recall seeing them in the early days and literally thinking the binmen had had a makeover

I actually wrote a letter to the local press pointing this out, and they did soon thereafter get new uniforms which made them look a bit more like police.

Still all very pointless, though, and they gradually disappeared. And, I mean, one point I recall was that they used to knock off just when things on the street might be hotting up. And it was some daft, very precise time like 9.45pm, or whatever, suggesting that the whole thing was about jobs and shift patterns rather than fighting crime or whatever.

Anyway, I think the scheme still exists, and is mentioned in Courier articles very occasionally. But I suspect it's been run down substantially in terms of numbers, and is now largely invisible on the streets. But another sticking plaster and waste of money...

we had similar but ours were empowered to issue fines for littering. I believe they didn't generate enough in fines to make a profit for the council so the job was discontinued

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

Ours didn't have any powers to do anything at all, so were never intended to make a profit

There's actually still a page on Dundee City Council's website, and this could have been written 20-odd years ago, when you could see them around where I lived, but after a few years they disappeared from view. But this just demonstrates what a waste of time it all was - the area was 'dragged down' anyway, using the language on this page. And, for example, if they approached kids and the kids just ignored them or told the to eff off, then there's nothing they could do. Except maybe phone the police

https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/dundee-co ... ty-wardens

Brings back a few memories about stuff I'd long since forgotten about - I'm sure that originally they were just called 'community wardens', but then added the word 'safety' so that they were 'community safety wardens'. So it's just to make it sound better, thus like 'safety cameras' instead of 'speed cameras'. Or the whole 'safety is paramount' sort of thing, when they're 'cracking down' on easy targets, while the real headbangers and real dangers to safety are left to get on with it.

Don't get me started

(Although I was slightly wrong about the times they operated - it says on the link that it was 1.00pm to 10.45pm - handily knocking off just when the worst of the drunks might be coming out of the local pubs...)