Scores of rogue taxi drivers pulled up by Plod

Dodgy tyres, driving without insurance, trying to pick up passengers without a booking and even drug related offences; taxi drivers on the streets of Liverpool have been found guilty of all this and more in the last month.  

Scores of cautions and defect notices were handed to private hire and hackney drivers in October after a crackdown by council officers and Merseyside Police, with some ordered off the road straight away.

They identified drivers from Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral breaking the law.

A total of 14 drivers were fined a total of £4,655 at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Thursday 26 October for offences including tyre defects, trying to pick up passengers who had not booked and driving without insurance.

In addition, 118 vehicle defect notices and 57 cautions have been issued for offences such as cherry picking, parking a private hire on a hackney taxi stand, having an illegal tyre and not having their plates firmly fixed on – while a further seven vehicles were ordered off the road immediately.

And 160 fixed penalty notices have been issued to the drivers of private hire cars who parked illegally on taxi stands, taking up space meant for hackneys.

Two other drivers – one private hire and one hackney - have had their licences revoked for drug related offences.

Councillor Christine Banks, Chair of the Licensing Committee, said: “We want to make sure that our taxi industry is fair, and we are determined to crack down on those drivers who are flouting the rules. Our aim is to make the playing field for all drivers as level as it can be.

“Passengers should always ensure they only use properly licensed taxis or pre-book private hire vehicles, otherwise they are placing themselves in danger.”