Taxi Driver Online

‘Appalling’ cabs forced off road in Chorley

A CHORLEY taxi firm whose vehicles had ‘appalling defects’ has been banned from the road. A judge at Preston Crown Court dismissed an appeal to revoke the operator’s licence of Chorley Private Hire after hearing that passengers had been placed at risk in the taxis.

Faults including bald tyres, defective seat belts and faulty steering and brake lights were described as ‘an accident waiting to happen’ as six of the company’s fleet of taxis failed their MOTs over a period of two months last year. Licence holder Khawar Sohail, 28, of Eaves Lane, Chorley, was told none of the taxis could be driven after the hearing on Friday.

Councillor Eric Bell, Chorley Council’s executive member who oversees the authority’s licensing function, said: “As a council we have a responsibility to ensure that when you get in a taxi it’s safe.

“Some of the defects found on the taxis were appalling and fell way short of the legal standards. “We will continue to rigorously test taxis that are driven in the borough and we will continue to take taxis off the road if they are not safe for people to use.”

The defects found on the fleet of Chorley Private Hire Taxis led Chorley Council to take action and the operator’s licence was revoked in May 2009. The company was allowed to continue operating after an appeal was lodged to the magistrates’ court. In the meantime another vehicle was taken off the road meaning seven of the company’s taxis had been deemed unfit to drive between March and June last year.

In January magistrates dismissed the appeal and the case was taken to crown court. “We will continue to rigorously check all taxis driving in Chorley and we will do whatever we can to take unsafe operators off the road,” said Coun Bell.

“The public can rest assured that the streets of Chorley are safer, we won’t let people like this hold licences and will place the matter before the court if we have to.”

The judge dismissed the appeal and ordered Khawar Sohail to pay £4,211.50 costs.

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