Taxi Driver Online

December 20, 2007 Thursday

Councillor calls for increased taxi checks

Yeovil Express

A LEADING local councillor is pushing to increase taxi checks to every six months.

LibDem Cllr Ric Pallister, who represents the Parrett ward, was dismayed after seven local taxis were taken off the road following a series of roadside checks carried out by South Somerset District Council and police officers.

"Some of our taxi operators have failed in their responsibility to the public upon whom they rely for a living," he said.

"This is clearly a serious issue and in light of these results I shall be asking the Licensing Committee to consider increasing the frequency of taxi tests to every six months, which should hopefully resolve this issue.

"However the matter is of such concern that I am confident that drivers will co-operate in order to re-establish the public's faith in the quality of taxi transport across the district that may have been dented by these results."

And Cllr Pallister stormed: "I am not prepared to compromise on public safety when some taxi owners and operators are clearly not maintaining their vehicles to the required standards."
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