Taxi drivers lose licences after complaints

Three taxi drivers in Huntingdonshire had their licences revoked following complaints and a committee hearing in the last few months.

More than 20 vehicle licences were also suspended due to damage and defects found in the taxis.

The data has been published by Huntingdonshire District Council in a report presented to councillors at a meeting on Thursday (June 5). The authority is responsible for issuing taxi licences for the district. It is also responsible for reviewing, suspending, and revoking licences.

Between March 1, and May 22, the district council took action against nine taxi drivers, 27 taxis, and one operator, the report said.

The licences for 26 taxis were suspended, mainly due to the cars having damage or defects. One vehicle licence was revoked following a committee hearing.

Five taxi drivers had their licenses suspended, mainly due to medical examinations being overdue.

Three taxi drivers had their licences revoked, two due to complaints and one following a committee hearing.

A licensing officer said: “Obviously the numbers of vehicles are quite high, quite a lot of those can be involved with accident damage and obviously we suspend the vehicle.

“At the last meeting I updated to say that when they go for their compliance tests now we do take into account dangerous defects, as well as major defects, and therefore the vehicle can be suspended for that reason.”

Councillors were also updated on the number of taxi licences that currently have penalty points issued to them, including a taxi driver who has six points following “aggressive behaviour towards the public”.

Officers explained that the maximum number of points that can be issued before action is taken differs depending on the type of licence issued.

They explained that vehicle licences are issued for one year, but a driver or operator licence can be issued for between three to five years.

Officers said for a one year licence the maximum points anyone can receive is six and for a three or five year licence the maximum number of points is 12.

Once that total point limit is reached officers said the district council can trigger a review of the licence.

Councillor Stephen Ferguson said he appreciated the penalty points system, as he said it showed how action could be taken when people report issues.

He said: “I think we have all been in the back of a taxi cab where the driver has not perhaps behaved appropriately. I know most of these issues listed in the report are down to mechanical failures of the vehicle, but there is one down to aggressive behaviour towards the public.

“You can feel if you complain about it nothing is going to happen, but this is a clear record of how residents’ issues with drivers, obviously they are going to be investigated fairly, can lead to negative consequences for the drivers if they don’t behave appropriately.”