Agencies combine to check the safety of taxis in Bristol

Release Date:  27-Jan-2010

Officers from the City Council Licensing Enforcement Team, part of Safer Bristol, the British Transport Police, Avon and Somerset Constabulary and VOSA were out in force to check the safety of local taxis on Thursday (21 January) daytime and Saturday (23 January)night time.

“It is important for the promotion of safer public transport that we ensure the hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are in a roadworthy condition”, said Cllr Ron Stone, Chair of the Public Safety Protection Committee responsible for licensing taxis.

Of the 44 vehicles checked in the day time 36 were licensed for private hire use, and the remainder as hackney carriages. Although three quarters of the vehicles were found to be compliant with legal requirements, 11 were not, and the vehicle licences were suspended with immediate effect until the necessary remedial work was carried out.

Further checks were made during the late evening of Saturday 23rd January, this time with the help of Avon and Somerset Constabulary officers and VOSA. Safety checks were carried out on 13 licensed vehicles, of which five were hackney carriages, and the remainder private hire vehicles. Nine of the vehicles were found to be fully compliant, although the licences of four were suspended with immediate effect. The suspension prevents the vehicle being used for its licensed purpose until the defects were rectified.

The majority of problems identified concerned tyres, usually with a depth of tread below the legal limit.

Cllr Stone said “We were pleased that in most cases the vehicles examined were in good condition, as no prior announcement of the checks had been made. However, the amount of defects showed that we must be vigilant to make sure passengers are travelling in safe vehicles. Agencies often work together in this way and invariably the experience for all concerned is a valuable and positive one”.

“We would like to thank drivers for their patience during the stop checks and assure them that operations like this make the roads of Bristol safer for passengers and other drivers” said Clr Stone.

Further information from Vicky O'Loughlin on 0117 942222 or 07595645490
 

Author:  Vicky O'Loughlin, Media Officer, 0117 9223463

For all media enquiries relating to this press release, please contact Corporate Communications on 0117 922 2650.

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