Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers warned in crackdown

A CRACKDOWN has seen more than 1,000 taxi drivers across South Wales warned for breaking the rules of their licences. Tyres close to the legal limit, defective lights, damaged cabs and no insurance were among the defects picked up by enforcement officials.

In Cardiff, 902 drivers out of the city’s 1,607 cabbies were warned by officials for breaches during the last financial year and those that receive more than 10 penalty points over three years face the loss of their licences.

A total of 25 drivers across the region had their licences taken from them in 2006-07. Last month, a woman from Ystrad, Rhondda, was fined £300 and banned from the roads after using a private car as a taxi.

Across Rhondda Cynon Taf, 11 people were taken to court in the last year for driving unlicensed cabs. The figures were released by South Wales local authorities under the Freedom of Information Act following requests by the Echo.

Chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Association Mohammad Javaid said: “Most of the breaches identified tend to be minor, such as not wearing a badge and I think the standard of vehicles in Cardiff is the best in Wales.

“There are other areas where enforcement action is needed such as drivers coming into Cardiff from the Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly at the weekend and also the picking up of customers in the street by some private hire vehicles.”

Bob Smith, chairman of the city’s licensing committee, said the number of breaches uncovered showed the council took the issue seriously. “The more enforcement is carried out the less likely offences are because the word gets around. I use taxis all the time and I’m pleased with them.

“Rarely do I get a duff taxi. Most are very good, clean and tidy, whether they are private hire or hackney vehicles and it is important standards are maintained not just for residents but also visitors to the city.”

Paul Shone, licensing officer at Cardiff, explained that it received more than 50 licence applications every month and usually about three of them were from people with criminal convictions.

“Applicants are vetted with the Criminal Records Bureau and are used to access an individual’s fitness before the request for a licence is decided on. “The majority of those individuals have convictions which are spent and the remainder have motoring convictions ranging from speeding to dangerous driving.”

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IDFIMH

Surely that can't be true !!!!!

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IDFIMH

seems a bit high. is it not 902 defects?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

To demonstrate how petty they can be, apparently if your wheel trim was off - then that was an offence. Also the "Chairman" states that quite a few were done for not wearing their badges. Umm good press for the taxi trade!Not.

I believe this story came about because the local rag went delving into "freedom of Info"re taxis and came up with something to fill the front page. Nice big fiqures of 1000 drivers splashed across the page, with the usual story to go with it. TBH they must have been short of news.

If they really want to do a good job on the state of cars, take a trip to "Newport Gwent". Some of the seats are so shot, you are sitting on the sub frame.

I managed to find the list for warnings etc they are at the bottom of the page, you might find them interesting.



CARDIFF (1,485 licensed vehicles )

1028 breaches of licensing legislation covering 902 individuals.

Eighteen drivers reported for prosecution.

Five drivers had their licences revoked.

CAERPHILLY (408 licences)

22 breaches.




nine prosecutions for unlicensed cabs.


12 drivers had licences revoked or applications refused.


RHONDDA CYNON TAF (More than 600 licences)


16 breaches.


11 successful prosecutions against unlicensed drivers.


Two drivers lost their licences for using unlicensed vehicles or drivers and using a vehicle for hire without insurance.


BRIDGEND (415 licences)


22 breaches (involving nine drivers).


12 licence suspensions, three involving drivers and 12 involving vehicles.


Three drivers had their licences taken from them – two on medical grounds and one for not considered to be fit person.


MERTHYR TYDFIL (235 licences)


60 breaches.


No prosecutions.


No licences revoked.


VALE OF GLAMORGAN (412 licences)


No details of breaches because only individual files are kept.


Three licences revoked after convictions for public order offences.


Two licences suspending pending further information.


REASONS FOR WARNINGS INCLUDE:


Tyres close to legal limit.


No first aid kit or fire extinguisher.


Repair needed to offside bumper.


Wheel trims missing


Exterior of cab needs cleaning.


Repairs needed to boot and driver’s door.


Failure to wear identification badge.


Repair or replacement needed to damaged windscreen.


Cab left unattended on taxi rank.


Unauthorised signs at rear of vehicle.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Tyres close to legal limit, but not below the legal limit????????
So you can get a warning for having LEGAL tyres.
Thats a good one.

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Grandad,

How can you be given a warning, if you haven't done anything wrong?

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IDFIMH

Not just a warning, since the first paragraph of the article reads like they've broken the rules by having tyres close to the legal limit.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I sent a letter by e-mail which would usually get printed in the letters page of this local paper "South Wales Echo," there was a few critisizms of the article and the reporters and also the damage that they were doing to the City and the taxi trade by inaccurate reporting. I waited as one does, and no reply.

So I sent another by the same route accusing the paper of gutter journalism and inaccurate reporting, waited and again NO reply.

I then sent a letter directly to the editor, stating much of what I had already said. Got one back basically saying, they had not replied as I had not put my address on the letter ( absolute B*ll***s), I had put it on there along with my telephone number on both occasions. He also went on to say that he was sorry that I did not like the article, but they do not enter into e- mail replies as they are to busy.I e-mailed back thanking him for his time, and requested that if he wanted to know about, and quote safety aspects of the trade then they should speak to the drivers.

Guess what - No reply.

So how does one get around gutter type reporting, as it is it seems that they can print whatever lies that they like and get away with it.

P.S A copy of the e-mail sent.

Dear Mr Cypher

Thank you for your reply, however on all three occasions my name,address and telephone number was forwarded.

I do not object to good factual journalism, but what I do object to is needless damage caused by inaccurate journalism as in this case. It served no real purpose other than to cover the front page of the Echo.

Should you wish to do an article on lack of safety, then speak to the drivers and get the actual facts. I am sure that they will point you in the right direction showing you the lack of activity by the relevant licensing authorities, and the fact that it is their system that is causing problems that we ourselves do not want.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

I would send a letter of complaint to the PCC saying you haven't been given the right of reply.

Might not change things, but will defo p*** off the Editor.

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IDFIMH

Cheers young man, just the answer that I was looking for.

I have already posted on the forum of the paper concerned notifying them of my intentions, as you say - it might just P*** them off

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Er, no it won't.

The role of the press is to sell newspapers. Nothing more, nothing less.

If your story helps this, it will get attention.

But if you're on a campaign, or a crusade, they'll ignore you.

Been there, done that.

Here in Edinburgh we had a case of a 6 year old girl whose mother, an eight and a half month pregnant nurse, foned NHS24 Scotland three times before she could get a referral to a hospital. The girl was sent home with tablets for a urine infection. Two hours later they were bqack on the way to the hospital with the mother giving mouth to mouth resuscitation.

The girl died, she has a twisted gut.
Apparently something a vet can detect easily in an animal.

While there is outrage that NHS24 and hospital conspired to kill this girl, the point here is that, despite being told about the case, it has not been reported. Quality journalism or what?

Can't let the natives know their NHS is killing them can we?

As it has been said the papers are only interested in stuff that sells. This is usually bad news or sensationalism. where would be the sensationalism in "cabbies found to be doing a good job"

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Grandad,

Agreed, but let him try cos he has nothing to lose.

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IDFIMH

As you say they are there to sell papers, but the trade gets enough crap thrown at it without anyone distorting the facts. What this article has done is nothing short of shaking public confidence, we are not going through an easy time and I think a bit of good press would not go amiss.

What they also have to realise is that articles such as this damages not just the taxi trade, but the City as well, and as Europes youngest Capital City we do not need it.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

The rules are the rules .................. however petty enforcing them may appear, drivers are aware of their responsibilities and should act within them.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.