Spot checks find reduced number of issues with local taxis

A series of roadside spot-checks of local taxi vehicles were carried out last week by officers from the Council’s licensing team.

The team are responsible for issuing licenses to new and continuing taxi drivers, and carry out extensive checks on the vehicles to ensure that they are roadworthy and meet the required standards.

Throughout the year, the team also carry out roadside spot-checks to make sure that these standards are being kept to.

Last week, a total of 29 random inspections took place across the borough, with spot checks carried out on each vehicle and their driver.

The inspections found a small number of issues:

• Two drivers did not have their ID badges
• One vehicle did not have a ‘no smoking’ sticker (taxis are required to display a ‘no smoking’ sticker)
• One vehicle had no approval to use CCTV, but was displaying CCTV stickers

Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“I’d like to once again thank the officers from the Council’s licensing team for carrying out these spot checks.

“It’s important than the standards of our taxis are the highest that they can be and that they are, of course, safe for local residents. This work is about making sure these standards are being adhered to.

“I’m pleased to say that the majority of drivers do uphold these standards and I thank them for that. On this occasion, the issues that were picked up on are relatively minor, so drivers have been spoken to and the issues will be monitored until they are fixed.”

To contact the council’s licensing team, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/licensing or call (01472) 326299.