Taxi Driver Online

Alleged failure rate for Bradford Council's 24-hour notice taxi inspections comes under fire

http://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/1628 ... nder_fire/

A KEIGHLEY transport group chairman said an unacceptably high number of private hire vehicles are failing Bradford Council’s 24-hour inspections regime.

Michael Westerman, chairman of Keighley Public Transport Watch, said he was told “62 to 63 per cent” of cars being tested at 24 hours notice were failing.

Speaking at a transport watch group meeting, he said this percentage was not good enough, especially as some of the firms involved have council contracts to take youngsters to and from school.

He asked: “Are schools and parents aware of what the failure rate is? It’s disgusting that Bradford Council can put these contracts out when so many vehicles fail.

“You’d think that when they’re being given 24 hours notice, taxi operators would check their cars and get them rectified before sending them for inspection.”

Boss of Keighley firm Metro-Go Private Hire, Stuart Hastings, said: “Bradford Council is more interested in looking after the taxi driver than looking after the public, schools or NHS patients.

“Can you imagine what schools and parents would think if they knew the cars picking their kids up aren’t fit for purpose?

“A lot of private hire cars sent for inspections never see a spanner between tests.

“You can’t have a nine-year-old car that’s done 250,000 miles that doesn’t need a lot of maintenance. That’s impossible.”

A Bradford Council spokesman responded: “The travelling public’s safety is our number one priority.

“We set minimum standards that vehicles must pass an annual inspection to be licensed, on top of the annual MOT test.

“If licensed vehicles fail for either multiple minor or any more serious points then the retest fee is much higher.

“This is supplemented by additional unannounced checks of vehicles by taxi service enforcement officers. The number of officers is appropriate to the service’s needs and has been agreed with all West Yorkshire licensing services.

"A 62 per cent failure rate in random inspections represents all failure reasons. These can include one light bulb not working. Our standards are high.

“That figure includes minor mechanical faults which the driver wouldn’t discover on a daily vehicle inspection. The pass rate for vehicles submitted for the annual test was 73 per cent.

“The number of licensed vehicles in the district is 3,500. The number on school runs is about 350.

“The Passenger Transport Service and the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Service conduct random checks on licensed school run vehicles. There’s never been a serious mechanical incident involving a licensed vehicle on a school run.

“Whenever vehicles are found which have failures of standards, immediate action is taken, which includes the suspension of the vehicle from operating until faults are rectified.

“A recent independent review of Bradford Council taxi operations identified passenger safety and good practice as the service’s main priorities. The service was found to be operating in accordance with the highest national standards.”

the problem is that a "fail" is often for something very minor which is quickly or easily rectified and lets face it do you know the second a bulb fails ?

It always sounds far worse than it actually is

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

If they had a modern vehicle a light comes on the dash to inform them, there should always be a set of bulbs in all vehicles to they can be changed at the earliest opertunaty

Yes, and if they did and just a few failed the test then the cars would be so much safer, wouldn't they?

You may well need a set of sockets and spanners depending on the car. Most of the rear light clusters on our cars require tools.

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Grandad,

Some people obviously gunning for this - the same PH operator and 'transport watch' bod quoted as last time round, plus an MP, who goes off at a bit of a tangent.

But not sure if a one-third failure rate particularly high for 24-hour notice tests like this - I mean, presumably they're full vehicle tests?

Although I doubt if such testing is particularly common, and I wonder how the cars are selected for the call-in?

'Lives at risk' fear as about a third of taxis fail safety tests

https://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/169 ... ety-tests/

LIVES are being put at risk by unsafe taxis on Keighley’s roads, it is claimed.

Fears have been voiced after it was revealed that around a third of taxis are failing basic safety tests.

Some faults are so serious, vehicles are having to be taken straight off the roads.

Bradford Council claims pass rates are improving, but admits the situation gives “cause for concern”.

Now urgent action is being demanded to tighten-up procedures.

Stuart Hastings, chairman of Keighley Private Hire Association, has written to council chiefs over the issue.

“Politicians, councillors and council officials all know there are major flaws when it comes to safety standards in our industry,” said Mr Hastings, who owns Metro-Go Private Hire.

“Refusing to accept the issue by not implementing stricter guidelines, heavier fines and direct action against those manipulating regulation won’t exonerate the council from responsibility should injury, abuse or a fatality occur due to an unsafe vehicle or driver.”

He claims that of vehicles being called in by the council for testing in Keighley and Bradford, at 24 hours’ notice, 38 per cent are failing – with “serious faults” being found in more than a fifth.

“The council should recognise that those most reliant on our taxi firms – many of which have contracts with the council for transport of the infirm, the elderly, sick and those with special needs – are under the misguided impression that a licensed vehicle is a safe one. They deserve to be told the reality.

“Time for action is long overdue.”

Councillor Michael Westerman, who chairs Keighley Town Council’s watch and transport committee and the independent Keighley Public Transport Watch, agrees that urgent measures are needed.

“The failure rate is totally unacceptable and Bradford Council must clamp down,” he said.

“Some of these taxis are transporting children to and from school, and carrying elderly and vulnerable passengers. People’s lives are being put in danger.

“We have some very good taxi firms, but urgent measures have to be taken against those operating unsafe vehicles.

“Why is 24 hours’ notice given of checks? On-the-spot inspections should be carried out and any defective vehicles be removed from service immediately until the necessary work is carried out by a registered, reputable garage.”

Keighley MP John Grogan feels that national, legal minimum standards are required.

He says current licensing laws for taxis are “outdated” and that the Local Government Association, of which Bradford Council is a member, has been calling over several years for change.

“Some taxi laws date back to 1847 and the era of horse-drawn hackney carriages,” said Mr Grogan.

"The current patchwork of outdated laws leaves councils with restricted powers to enforce licensing requirements in their areas.

“Moreover, if a driver has been banned or refused in a particular area, it is difficult for councils to be able to stop that person from gaining a licence somewhere else if the driver does not disclose their previous history.

“Also, the current law takes no account of the increase in app-based taxi services, which has led to concern over how new models fit within the outdated framework and results in legal challenges which are costly and disruptive.”

Bradford Council says vehicle failure rates are dropping, and that passenger safety is a priority for the authority.

A spokesman added: “We’re confident the vehicle inspection system achieves its purpose of making sure taxi customers are as safe as possible, which is our number one priority.

“Vehicle failure rates continue to give cause for concern, but they’ve fallen from 40 per cent to 30 per cent, and we’re confident that by working closely with the trades this figure will continue to fall.

“As an incentive to keep vehicles in good condition, last year we introduced a £100 re-test fee for vehicles which failed a safety inspection because of a major fault.

“Our licensing service is in constant dialogue with the trades and welcomes comments on vehicle safety to ensure improvements continue where possible.

“We’re confident Bradford taxis compare favourably with those from other local authorities and will continue to do so in the future.

“A recent independent review of Bradford Council’s taxi operations identified passenger safety and good practice as the main priorities of the service and found it was operating in accordance with the highest national standards.”