Neath Port Talbot cabbies face action over unsafe taxis
TAXI owners whose cars were ordered off the road after being found to be unsafe could face further action.
Police and council licensing officials carried out a series of random tests in the Neath Port Talbot area.
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Bob Hoyles, from Ash Cabs in Port Talbot, said the vast majority of owner-drivers in the county had safe cars
Ten of the 17 vehicles checked were issued with immediate prohibition orders for various defects.
Most of them were for defective tyres, with one car found to have three of them.
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Neath Port Talbot Council licensing manager Neil Chapple said: "I was particularly concerned about the number of vehicles found to be unsafe.
"Discussions will now take place as to whether further action should be taken against the owners in question.
"Any sanctions will be decided by the licensing committee, but they could range from a warning to suspension, or even revocation, of the taxi licence."
In the meantime, the owners face a two-stage process to get their vehicles back on the road.
As the prohibition orders were issued by the police, owners will now have to get a full MoT check carried out and take the certificate to a police station. Neath Port Talbot Council has also suspended the taxi licences and the owners must apply to have this lifted.
"There is a fair bit of running around owners will have to do, but at the end of the day it's all down to public safety and that is our main concern," added Mr Chapple.
Chief Superintendent Cliff Filer, head of specialist operations, said the defective rate of almost 60 per cent was alarming.
"We regularly run taxi safety operations and it is unacceptable that some vehicles are not adequately maintained," he said.
Bob Hoyles, from Ash Cabs in Port Talbot, said the vast majority of owner-drivers in the county had safe cars.
"They are self-employed and if they lose their cars they lose their livelihoods.
"But we do have concerns about cars operating in Neath Port Talbot which have been licensed by other authorities with less stringent safety rules," added Mr Hoyles.
4 Comments
by tonyd1969
Friday, March 22 2013, 12:12PM
“Neathboy234 is talking nonesense!!!
My Taxi was taken off the road one night due to '''My Taxi roof-light''' not working. Absolutely ridiculous! Should I then be banned for life then 'Neathboy?'
What rubbish! These vehicles do about 50,000 miles every year. We have two thorough Council tests and one Full MOT every year as it is.
I agree however, with illegal tyres going by unnoticed. Some faults just can't be anticipated and may have transpired during a shift. We even get taken off the road for a side-light not working, even when out full headlamps are working correctly. All it takes is to change our spare.
Unless you guys have been a Taxi driver during the past ten years, may I suggest you stick to your current profession, otherwise maybe I should suggest guidelines for your line of work, on which I know little about. (20 Years as a Cabbie, including London/Essex/Neath and Port Talbot.)
Just a thought!”
by Taweformation
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 12:10PM
“Loosing the Taxi should be the least of their problems! Knowingly carrying passengers in a defective vehicle is fundamentally wrong! these guys take the money soon enough but the must be accountable for their failure to uphold their duty of care.”
by ArthurRittick
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 11:28AM
“Agree with Neathboy that taxi drivers should face a ban if they are found with vehicles not passing inspection, though not sure about a life ban. However, would suggest that the vehicle is impounded & then never again allowed to be used as a taxi.
Bob Hoyles' assertion that the taxi driver faces losing his livelihood if their vehicle was taken away just doesn't wash. These vehicles are being used to transport the public who are paying for a service that they expect to be provided in a safe manner, which is jeopardised by the attitude of the taxi driver (& owner)”
by Neathboy234
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 11:06AM
“If all the taxi's in NPT are safe them i'm sure Bob Hoyles will not mind there being a lot more inspections taking place. Anyone found having faults should be banned from driving a taxi for life, seems fair”