Taxi Driver Online

Taxi passengers will go 'under cover' to catch illegal drivers

Taxi passengers are going 'under cover' to try to catch drivers operating illegally in Chichester. And hackney taxi drivers campaigning to protect public safety have launched a series of private prosecutions – because they say the licensing authorities are not doing enough to tackle illegal drivers.

The Chichester Taxi Alliance wants to deal with private-hire drivers who illegally come into the city from other areas to tout for business. Alliance chairman Graham Price said only licensed hackney carriages were able to stop and accept custom directly off the street. Private-hire drivers had to be booked in advance.

Mr Price said there had been problems for several years and the alliance had met with council officers asking for proper enforcement, but that no action had been taken. After seeking advice, the alliance was told it would need to uphold the law itself, and has launched three private prosecutions against drivers it believes have behaved illegally. The cases are due to be heard in June.

The alliance has been undergoing 'test purchases', with mystery passengers taking a journey to check the driver is acting within the law. "This is nothing personal against the drivers, but we have been forced into this position because of the council's lack of action," said Mr Price.

"To our knowledge the council has carried out only three test purchases over the past year and we know there are drivers operating illegally. We are trying to flag up a real public safety issue here.

"There are passengers being picked up by drivers not from this area, which means their insurance is invalid. We've asked the council for help, but its response has been poor. "What we have been doing is collating information to put prosecutions before the court.

"We pay a lot of money to be licensed and the council should be spending it on enforcing the law, but we don't see anything for our money. "We don't really want to go down the prosecution road, but we need to do it to get the council to face up to the fact it's going on."

Chichester District Council said it had been carrying out enforcement actions, using a 'multi-agency approach' which has included police, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and Customs and Excise.

One enforcement action included checking vehicles in the city centre to see whether they were roadworthy or not. A total of 24 vehicles were checked. Three were told not to go on the road again because of problems such as insurance irregularities and brake defects.

Another operation by environmental health officers investigated whether licensed vehicles were illegally plying for hire late at night. It found no illegal activity was taking place. A council spokesman said the authority worked hard to ensure the public was able to access a safe and reliable taxi service.

_________________
IDFIMH

This is going to happen all over ,Dundee has had such cases where private investigators have been hired to carry out test purchases.The council dealt with the drivers behind closed doors.

Really not suprised - LO standing around in a fluorescant jacket on the street - failed to spot any illegal activity


This wouldn't be in retailiation for the Council being embarrassed would it?

Quote:

three test purchases over the past year

Wow - the population of Chichester can sleep soundly in their beds then!!

The Alliance did three test purchases in an hour the first night they went out - all going to court, the Council have yet to prosecute anyone for Plying or Touting - and have not for the past TEN YEARS!!!!.


______________________________________________________________________________
Incidently - the Chairman of the Alliance is a man called Tony Mentasti - not as wrongly reported .