Taxi Driver Online

January 28, 2008 Monday

Prosecution for unlicensed vehicles from today

Daily Echo

DRIVERS and operators of unlicensed limousines and private hire cars in Hampshire will face prosecution and fines from today.

A change in the law has removed an exemption which meant contract hire of cars for less than seven days didn't need to be licensed.

Stretch limousines, executive hire cars, port transfer services, chauffeurs, pink ladies, hotel cars, garden centre transporters, employment agency cars, pre-school buses, courtesy vehicles, and novelty vehicles will all be affected.

But ministers wanted to clamp down on parts of the unregulated trade that they felt posed a "significant" safety risk to the public.

Southampton City Council's licensing officer Richard Black said: "The new licensing changes will make the travelling public safer in the knowledge that businesses have been licensed. And businesses will feel more secure knowing their drivers have been vetted.

"Not being licensed could invalidate vehicle insurance, so clearly operators need to take action to make sure they comply."

All operators who carry passengers in connection with their trade or business and have fewer than nine seats should now be licensed.
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I'm led to believe that Southampton docks has been a very good place for the unlicensed sec 75 mob.

Maybe 100s of unlicensed motors ferrying folks from the cruise liners to the airports.

But I'm also led to believe that the LOs are now on the case.

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IDFIMH