Licensing officers from North East Lincolnshire Council have carried out a series of late-night checks on taxi drivers in Cleethorpes.
Council officers, working with officers from Humberside Police, undertook 19 roadside spot checks on hackney carriage and private hire vehicles on Saturday 31 July.
The inspections are frequently carried out to check the state of the vehicle, that clear signage is in place and that the driver has their ID badge.
During the evening of checks, the following findings were made:
- Two vehicles had their plates situated in the wrong position. A plate is what is displayed on the rear of a licensed vehicle and has an expiry date.
- Two vehicles were displaying their plate in the rear window (it should be on the rear bumper)
- One private hire vehicle had no number on the door sign
- One vehicle had damage to its rear bumper, which would not pass a taxi inspection. They will receive a warning letter from the licensing department.
- Three vehicles had tyres very close to the legal limit. Drivers were advised and warned by the police.
- One hackney carriage vehicle’s taxi bubble (the light on top of a taxi) was not working
- One taxi driver was spoken to by police for parking on the footpath in the high street in Cleethorpes
- One unlicenced vehicle displaying a taxi bubble was spotted parked up in Cleethorpes Market Place
Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: “These checks are a routine piece of work for our licensing officers, working in partnership with Humberside Police.
“The last thing we want is for taxis to be in an unsafe condition, putting people’s lives at risk. We urge taxi drivers in our borough to stick to the rules and ensure that their vehicles are in peak condition at all times.
“If drivers aren’t sure what they should be doing, they can contact the council’s licensing team for more information.”
To contact the council’s licensing team, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/licensing or call (01472) 326299.
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