Nice to see we’re not the only ones getting tugged …
avonandsomerset.police.uk/n … n-taunton/
Compliance checks on taxis in Taunton
Written by Corporate Communications department on 01 April 2014 at 15:31
As part of its campaign to keep roads in the force area safer, compliance checks on taxis have been carried out in West Somerset.
Roads policing unit officers carried out the checks on taxis in Taunton town centre in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions, VOSA (Vehicle Operator Services Agency), HM Revenue and Customs and Taunton Deane Borough Council’s licensing department.
The compliance checks were carried out on Thursday (March 27) and were carried out to assess the taxi trade’s level of compliance in terms of the condition of the vehicles they operate and the fitness of drivers to carry members of the public in them.
Compliance checks on taxis
During the operation 20 vehicles were inspected. Of those inspected:
-Four were given immediate prohibitions, requiring them to be taken off the road as dangerous defects were highlighted. These included badly worn tyres, exhaust leakage and serious steering/suspension defects.
-Four vehicles were given delayed prohibitions, which allows them to continue business for a limited time before a prohibition comes into force). The defects included having no fuel filler cap fitted, lighting defects, suspension defects and loose batteries.
-One driver was operating without his licence badge, as required by regulations by the council.
-One vehicle was highlighted as having three defective tyres , while another taxi had three separate defects, with each defect to a level prohibiting the vehicle to be driven on a road.Other vehicles checked were in a good physical condition and were clearly looked after.
PC Paul Baker of the Taunton RPU said: “It is our priority to help make our roads safer for all. This includes those who choose to travel by public transport. For 40 per cent of the vehicles we inspected to have been prevented from further use on our roads due to their dangerous defects, the results appear to be poor.
“Many vehicles checked were found to have been in a good overall condition and those drivers clearly showed a pride in their work.“However, there are others who do not take time to carry out very basic checks on the vehicles they operate, who we will - together with our partners — target for flouting the law, to ensure the public are safe and feel safe on our roads,” said PC Baker.