Taxi Driver Online

Nothing particularly noteworthy here (and all a bit vague rather than great detail) except maybe the bit about the HCA lodging a petition questioning the driver's fitness.

Although I wonder if maybe the word 'petition' makes it sound a bit more organised and formal than it actually was. But, anyway, it's certainly had an affect, along with the local authority's own myriad evidence.


Taxi driver licence revoked

https://www.tamworth.gov.uk/taxi-driver-licence-revoked

02 April 2024

Evidence of a licensed taxi driver breaking the licencing rules on more than one occasion, has led to the driver having his taxi licence to operate revoked by Tamworth Borough Council Licensing Committee, at a hearing on 28 March 2024.

The hackney carriage licensed driver was brought before the council Licensing Committee after accumulating more than 12 penalty points, under the council’s internal penalty points system, within a three-year period and was accused of re-offending on more than one occasion.

The penalty points scheme provides a consistent approach to dealing with unacceptable conduct such as failures to abide by the council’s code of conduct, licence conditions, or minor offences when revocation, suspension, prosecution may be disproportionate.

The Licensing Committee found the driver had made an inaccurate accident report whilst driving a licensed hackney carriage vehicle and in addition, the Licensing team received several complaints about the driver’s conduct.

Tamworth Borough Council’s licensing team had cause to investigate two further incidents since August 2023. A petition was also handed in to Tamworth Borough Council by the Hackney Carriage Trade Association calling into question the driver’s suitability to hold a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Driver’s Licence.

Anna Miller, Tamworth Borough Council’s Assistant Director for Growth and Regeneration, said: “It is vital that licenced taxi drivers comply with the law and work to keep their customers safe.

“Taxi drivers who choose to flout the rules and law, risk losing their licence to operate and potentially risk losing their livelihood. It is rare to see licences revoked; this only happens after proven continued breaches of the rules.

“Our Licensing team take all complaints and incidents very seriously and work hard to ensure that any person breaking the law is convicted and suitable action is taken.”

The driver will not be able to operate as a licenced taxi driver anywhere in the UK and would have to reapply for a licence where the revocation would have to be disclosed. It would be the decision of the local authority (in line with their licensing policy), to consider an application and determine whether to grant or refuse it.

And not inaccurate to say the driver can't now operate as a licensed driver anywhere in the UK, obviously, but seems a slightly odd thing to say.

hmm our LO used to always make it clear that they would NOT accept or investigate a complaint driver vs driver. If complaints did Not come from a passenger or other non trade member of the public they couldn't be investigated.

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