Taxi Driver Online

This is Gwent

December 19, 2007 Wednesday

Cab man in court over school run

South Wales Guardian

THE owner of a Betws taxi firm has been given an 18-month conditional discharge and had his driving licence endorsed with six penalty points for using an unlicensed driver to take a minibus on the school run.

Roy Eric Evans, owner of Eric's Cabs, was convicted after an all-day trial at Ammanford Magistrates' Court last month of using an unlicensed driver and using a vehicle without insurance. He has now been sentenced.

The driver, Helen Marie Jones, was convicted of driving without insurance and driving a licensed vehicle without the appropriate dual driver's licence.

The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire Council.

The court heard that on February 27 a licensing officer saw a minibus belonging to Eric's Cabs parked at the side of the road in Carregaman Lane, Ammanford. Another vehicle pulled alongside the minibus to drop off children, who got into the minibus.

Having received complaints about the licensed minibus being used by unlicensed drivers to take children to school, the licensing officer followed the minibus until it pulled into Mynydd Bach, Tycroes. There were five passengers on board.

He asked the driver Helen Marie Jones if she had a dual driver's badge. She said she had put the forms in and thought she was covered as there was no roof sign on the vehicle.

Jones also said that Eric, of Eric's Cabs, had asked her to drive and that she was taking the children to a school in Carmarthen.

Evans, of Caemawr, Betws, was given an 18-month conditional discharge, with six penalty points on his licence and ordered to pay £400 costs.

Last month Jones, of Brynlluan, Gorslas, received a conditional discharge on both counts for 12 months with six points endorsed on her DVLA licence. She was also ordered to pay costs of £300.
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Which council gave them the school work?

And how many council staff have been sacked for not ensuring the safety of the children?

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IDFIMH

And did they lose the school contract

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you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

By stopping the vehicle and taking the people to court haven't they ensured the safety of the children? It would seem that the contract was given to the company correctly but the company then used an unlicensed driver. The council acted when they became aware of the situation.

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Grandad,