Licensing boss 'worried' at taxi checks

A JOINT operation to check over 18 local taxis has brought disappointment to South Somerset District Council’s licensing enforcement team.

Unexpected stop checks on 18 vehicles were carried out across the district on December 7 in a joint operation by Avon and Somerset Constabulary, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and South Somerset District Council.
 
Two taxis were taken off the road immediately after major defects were found; these were a tyre below the legal minimum tread depth and a faulty seat belt clasp, a further three vehicles were given delayed prohibition notices by VOSA for issues such as excessive smoke, leaking steering rack gators and leaking CV boots.
 
A further two vehicles were given advice regarding faulty number plate lights.
 
Nigel Marston, licensing manager at South Somerset District Council, said: “It was disappointing to note that the standards of vehicles on the road has deteriorated since our last checks,  it was worrying to find a taxi with defective tyres, as drivers should check these daily.
 
“We will continue to work closely with our partners at VOSA and the Avon and Somerset road Policing Unit to drive up the standards of taxis and private hire vehicles across the district.”
 
People using the taxis are just as concerned as we are about their safety and everyone seemed pleased to see us checking the vehicles that they were travelling in."
 
Cllr Peter Seib, the council's spokesman for regulatory and democratic services, said: “People expect to be at least as safe in a taxi as any other public transport. At this time of year it becomes even more important when roads are slippy and lanes are dark. Plying for trade in an unsafe vehicle is just ripping people off.”

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