Licences suspended in dangerous vehicle crackdown

Taxi licences were suspended and one car towed away in a crackdown on dangerous vehicles unfit to be on the road.
Latest news...Latest news...
Latest news...

More than 35 vehicles, including 26 private hire vehicles, were stopped and checked in an operation in Ravensthorpe, leading to two taxi licences being suspended, seven delayed taxi licence suspensions and three tickets being issued.

Insp Tim Holland, from Kirklees District Partnerships, said: “The results from the operation are encouraging and should reassure the public that taxis and private hires in Kirklees are generally fit for purpose and most importantly safe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We will continue to work in partnership with our colleagues from the council, Vehicle Operators Standard Agency and HM Revenue and Customs to carry out similar activity in the future. This was also a great opportunity for special police constables to participate in an important public safety exercise which is an integral role in local policing.”

During the operation, carried out by police, Kirklees Council and HMRC, one privately owned vehicle was seized for no insurance and unsafe parts, three tickets were handed out and five Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme (VDRS) notices were issued, mostly for tyre and lighting problems.

A VDRS means the owner has to fix a defect and produce evidence within 14 days.

Another vehicle was towed away after inspectors found serious problems with the front, nearside wheel.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Of the taxis that were inspected, two licences were immediately suspended, one for exposed tyre cords and the other for the front grille being in dangerous condition with broken and sharp edges, and twelve delayed licence suspensions were handed out.

Six were for not having a fire extinguisher, three for having tyres close to the legal limit, one for not displaying a door sign and two for having defective lights.

Twelve of the private hire vehicles were found to have no defects or breaches of licensing conditions.

Kirklees Council Licensing Manager Catherine Walters said: “I’m pleased to see the checking of taxi and private hire vehicles has been a success. They are vitally important to make sure everyone stays safe and I look forward to more such operations happening again in other parts of the district.”