Taxi Driver Online

Well this is certainly an odd official council news release

There's the photo of the car, the very odd style of the writing (it's like they've kind of jumbled up the paragraphs - it seems to keep repeating itself a tad), and even the headline seems to miss the central point of it all. They've even managed to misspell Kokiaq

The narrative as a whole could be clearer as well

But seems a bit daft to post these photos and the like while they're currently investigating it all. You'd think it was some unknown person in a big city, or whatever, not someone in a town of less than 20,000 people whose details are known to the authorities


Sleaford taxi driver surrenders licence after Council investigation

https://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/council-n ... estigation


Image: North Kesteven District Council/Lincolnshire Live

A taxi driver in Sleaford surrendered his licence following an investigation by North Kesteven District Council’s Licensing Team.

But with claims that he remains active, driving the same vehicle illegally, the public are asked to be vigilant in ensuring they only use licenced cars and licenced drivers.

Local taxi drivers reported that an unlicensed taxi was operating in Sleaford – a vehicle given as a silver Skoda Kodiak (registration EU22 AYM). The vehicle was reported as having a hackney carriage meter fitted internally, but no taxi licence plates or other identifying criteria.

The Council’s Licensing Team dealt with allegations that an unlicensed taxi was being used in and around Sleaford.

A vehicle was stopped in Sleaford by NKDC Licensing Officers. The driver was licensed with the Council as a hire driver, but was using the vehicle as a taxi without it being licensed.

He was carrying two passengers which the driver claimed were not paying but in interview later agreed that he had been working using an unlicensed vehicle due to his licensed taxi being off the road.

Once stopped the driver then voluntarily surrendered his hire driver licence. So now neither the vehicle, nor he as an individual, hold any form of hire vehicle or hire driver licence.

The Licensing Team served a suspension notice on the currently licensed vehicle due to it not being safe for use.

The Licensing Team are still receiving reports that an unlicensed hire driver continues to use the same vehicle. The team are working proactively with Lincolnshire Police to clarify if this remains the case.

Cllr Mark Smith, Executive Board Member with special interest in Public Protection, said: “It is important that people using taxis and private hire vehicles feel safe and confident with the cars they use, which is why we take our public protection responsibility so seriously; and equally why passengers take notice as without a car being properly licenced, none of the safeguards associated with a properly licensed vehicle and driver are in place.

“We would encourage anyone with any concerns, or any information about operating as an unlicensed driver or in unlicensed vehicles, to get in touch with our Licensing Team by emailing licensing@n-kesteven.gov.uk or by calling 01529 414155.”

Members of the public should always use a licensed vehicle and driver. Licensed vehicles will always have an identification plate on the rear of the vehicle and also inside the vehicle. The driver will always carry identification which confirms their status.

So in a nutshell it's presumably an HC that's failed an inspection and its plates have been removed. He then used it without the plates, the council investigated, and he also surrendered his badge as a result.

But he's subsequently been spotted using the car, allegedly, but they're investigating whether he's actually been using it for hire and reward.

All seems a bit odd. According to the MoT database it passed only a month ago with 66,000 miles on the clock, and it's only 3.5 years old...

You'd think that even if it had failed an inspection he'd get it sorted easily enough and back on the road legitimately.

But who knows?

This is the press rehash, and kind of confirms what I was saying about the confusing narrative...

I mean, this makes it sound like the passengers were spotted in the back after he surrendered his badge, but doesn't the press release above say it was after the passengers were spotted in the back that he surrendered it?

So this gets it the wrong way round...


Warning issued over unlicensed Sleaford taxi driver after passengers seen in back of Skoda

https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news ... source=nba

The driver previously surrendered his licence following an investigation

The first paragraph makes it sound like the vehicle with spotted with the passengers wasn't the one previously plated...


But this makes it sound like it's the same vehicle being used when plated and after plate removed. That would certainly be consistent with it still having a meter in it...