Illegal taxi drivers reported in joint operation
More than half a dozen taxis acting illegally were reported for prosecution after a number of authorities carried out a joint operation in Staffordshire.
Staffordshire Police officers from the roads policing unit teamed up with Stafford Borough Council, Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to target illegal taxi plying in Stone on November 26.
The team went out on patrol to check if taxis were operating lawfully, checking if vehicles and drivers were insured, fares were sensible, drivers were not using their mobile phones on the road and weren't speeding.
The DVSA also checked for issues such as roadworthiness of vehicles and correct driving licence entitlement.
It resulted in eight taxis being reported for various motor offences.
Four of those were prohibited from operating by the DVSA.
They had tyres, seatbelt and lighting issues and will not be back on the road until the defects are rectified.
PC Martin Randle, who took part in the operation, said: “Illegal taxis serve as a disruption to residents and businesses – especially in rural areas where there is a reduced public service in the evening and there are less transport options for vulnerable members of the community.
“We’ve worked closely with our partners to target those responsible and stop them from influencing the supply and demand of taxi hire within the region.
“Operations like this will be vital moving forward to stop those responsible and ensure the public has access to legal and fair taxi services in all areas of Staffordshire.”
Mark Winnington, cabinet member for environment at Stafford Borough Council, said: “This is a good example of working with our partners to protect businesses and for the safety of residents.
“It is important that those who ply for trade in our borough have been properly licensed by Stafford Borough Council and undergone all the relevant checks to ensure passengers will be safe.”
Dave Collings, head of enforcement delivery at DVSA, said taxi drivers are entrusted by their fare paying passengers to provide safe and roadworthy vehicles to get them to their destination.
“In the future, we will plan other operations to target those who undermine road safety and help to protect fair competition within this industry," he added.
