Pentrefelin taxi owner rapped for failure to comply with safety checks
A TAXI operator had 16 vehicle licences suspended after failing to attend mechanical checks.
Emlyn Williams, owner of Pentrefelin based firm Williams of Criccieth, had been running a transport company for years including hackney and private hire vehicles and had 13 schools contracts with Gwynedd Council’s education department where he was responsible for transporting children to and from school.
He was called before the Dwyfor Licensing Committee earlier this month and given a stern warning for his behaviour.
During the meeting, it was noted that Gwynedd Council’s licensing enforcement officer had decided to suspend the licences of 16 of Mr Williams’ vehicles in February last year because he had failed to take his vehicles for a council mechanical check or because he had taken vehicles to be checked and they had failed the test and had then failed to attend follow up appointments.
The officer explained that the policy required all hackneys and private hire vehicles to be tested twice a year.
Over the following months, the Regulatory Department had been able to successfully get all Mr Williams’ vehicles to comply with requirements and in an attempt to help, the council’s licensing officer provided a chart indicating when all the vehicles required testing.
The council said that despite these measures, Mr Williams had “ignored any assistance” which had been offered.
At the meeting, Mr Williams said the council’s mechanical test was very expensive and that he played his part in ensuring co-operation.
When considering the case, members expressed concern as Mr Williams was responsible for transporting school children, and they wanted the safety of the children to be a priority.
As a result, it was emphasised that the mechanical tests were vital.
The members realised that four of Mr Williams’ vehicles were awaiting a council mechanical checks and they were prepared to accept that this was proof of his improved efforts to comply with policy.
It was agreed that Mr Williams was to be given a stern warning and that this case would be taken into consideration should he appear before the Licensing Sub Committee once again for a similar matter in the future.
When approached by the Herald Mr Williams’ declined to comment on the matter.
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