Multi-agency enforcement operation protects public
As part of a multi-agency operation led by West Mercia Police, officers from Shropshire Council’s and Telford and Wrekin Council’s public protection services joined forces to undertake spot inspections on private hire and hackney carriage vehicles licensed by both councils.
The operation took place on the 27 February 2014 from 1.30pm until 8.30pm at a number of locations across the Telford and Wrekin area. A total of 35 vehicles were stopped and 17 inspected; 21 were licensed by Shropshire Council and 14 by Telford and Wrekin Council. Over 70 % of those inspected failed to meet the mandatory licensing conditions required by the councils to operate as licensed vehicles, with the majority of these being licensed by Shropshire Council.
Issues identified included invalid insurance, major mechanical faults, worn and illegal tyres and failing headlamps – all of which are major factors that contribute to the safe conveyance of fare-paying customers.
One vehicle was immediately impounded by the police and another was only allowed to leave the testing station on a recovery lorry, due to the poor mechanical condition of the vehicle that rendered it extremely dangerous.
As a result of the operation, eight Shropshire Council-licensed drivers and one Telford and Wrekin Council-licensed driver had their vehicle licences suspended and they will not be relicensed until such time as they can demonstrate that their vehicles meet the required safety standards. There were also three advisory warnings issued for minor breaches.
Other agencies involved in the operation included VOSA, DVLA, Telford & Wrekin Revenues and Benefits and a representative from HMRC.
Frances Darling and Anita Hunt, service managers for Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council respectively, said:
“Clearly, we are extremely disappointed with the percentage of vehicles that were not fit for purpose and in some cases were actually unsafe or dangerous. We want to make it clear that it is the drivers and the operators who are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the vehicles they use to transport passengers are safe and comply with the applicable licensing conditions. However, it is our intention to repeat these joint enforcement operations with partner agencies to increase private hire and hackney carriage drivers’ focus on passenger safety and to provide a basis for the continuing development of positive working relationships with the private hire operators. We are encouraged by the operators’ ongoing commitment to work with us to protect the public, and to ensure that the drivers and vehicles they have responsibility for operating are meeting the applicable licensing conditions.”
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for public protection, and Deputy Leader Richard Overton, Cabinet member for Public Health & Public Protection from Telford and Wrekin Council, said:
“The licensing of vehicles, drivers and operators is a crucial role carried out by both our councils to ensure public safety is maintained. Our officers are committed to working together across both council areas, and joint enforcement operations is one of a number of enforcement tools our officers use to ensure licensing conditions are met and the public are protected. We would encourage anyone who has concerns about drivers, vehicles or operators to report the details to our officers to enable advice to be given and enforcement action to be taken where this is appropriate.”
Licensing officers for both councils can be contacted on:-
- Shropshire Council – 0345 678 9026 or taxis@shropshire.gov.uk
- Telford and Wrekin Council – 01952 383264 or licensing@telford.gov.uk.
General information about private hire and hackney carriage licensing may be obtained from the following websites:
http://shropshire.gov.uk/licensing/
