Taxi Driver Online

York taxi drivers lose licences over conduct and driving

Nine taxi drivers in York have had their licences revoked this year, the council has confirmed.

Five drivers lost their licence in the city because of their driving ability, three for inappropriate conduct and one under the sexual category.

The sexual category could be based on sexual offences or relate to serious "sexual inappropriateness", the authority said.

A further ten drivers have been suspended for medical reasons.

The figures were included in a council report from the director of environment, transport and planning, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In addition to the figures for 2023, it revealed 12 licences were revoked in 2022, and four were refused, with reasons quoted as dishonesty, violence, sexual, driving, inappropriate conduct and medical.

The council's Licensing and Regulatory Committee asked Dave Kelway, taxi licensing manager for the authority, to clarify the sexual category.

"These are based on either sexual offences or information in relation to serious sexual inappropriateness," he said.

Mr Kelway also explained the fit and proper test taxi drivers were subject to before they could obtain a taxi driving licence in York.

"All applicants undertake a criminal records disclosure (DBS) to check for the existence and content of any criminal record, he said.

"Applicants are also checked against the National Refusal and Revocation, Suspension database."

He added applicants must all pass a safeguarding and knowledge test and a driving assessment and their vehicles would also be checked.

The committee was told 12 taxi drivers were also suspended for failing to complete a DBS requirement in 2022, but this number dropped to just two by September 2023.

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IDFIMH

Thanks for clearing that up

What kind of bozo needed that clarified, or am I missing something?

probably a newspaper hack looking for a good angle to write a taxi bashing story

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

Maybe try reading what the article actually says, for a change, Edders

I've highlighted the relevant part in the bit I quoted above.

But it was presumably an individual councillor rather than the whole committee that asked the question, but it certainly doesn't seem to have been a journalist

But you could be right about a bit of journalistic sleight-of-hand there, Edders.

I'd guess that it was a specific councillor who asked for the clarification, but the reporter didn't know which one.

So the report states that the *committee* asked the licensing official, which kind of gets round the problem that the journalist didn't know the name of the specific councillor

This is broadly the same article as the one above, but contains a bit more detail about how 'fit and proper' is applied to drivers and vehicles. Nothing particularly new about that either, but it's a good summary of how the process works in general terms, and indicates on the one hand that there's quite a few hurdles to be negotiated to get a badge and plate, and on the other hand how York's process seems relatively stringent.

It's also relatively free of the type of spin and bull that often accompanies official stuff.

But, as regards the stuff above about who precisely asked for the clarification about the sexual stuff, note the subtle difference from the article above


York taxi driver had licence revoked for ‘sexual’ reason

https://yorkmix.com/york-taxi-driver-ha ... al-reason/

Nine York taxi drivers have had their licences revoked in 2023 for reasons including their driving, conduct and sexual inappropriateness.

A report from the director of environment, transport and planning for the City of York Council was presented to the licensing and regulatory committee on Wednesday, October 11.

It showed that 12 licences were revoked in 2022, and four were refused, with reasons quoted as dishonesty, violence, sexual, driving, inappropriate conduct and medical.

But between January 1, 2023, and September 1, 2023, five drivers had their licence revoked for their driving, three for inappropriate conduct and one under the ‘sexual’ category.

When asked to clarify the meaning behind ‘sexual’, Dave Kelway, taxi licensing manager for the City of York Council, said: “These are based on either sexual offences or information in relation to serious sexual inappropriateness.”

When asked to clarify the meaning behind ‘sexual’, Dave Kelway, taxi licensing manager for the City of York Council, said: “These are based on either sexual offences or information in relation to serious sexual inappropriateness.”

Mr Kelway also explained the ‘fit and proper’ test taxi drivers are subject to before they can obtain a taxi driving licence in York to councillors.

“Particular attention is paid to ensuring that all licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence,” he said.

“All applicants undertake a criminal records disclosure (DBS) to check for the existence and content of any criminal record.

“Applicants are also checked against the National Refusal and Revocation, Suspension database.

“Applicants must pass a safeguarding and knowledge test, which includes how to recognise and report the signs of abuse, customer care, equalities, knowledge of the routes around the city and other licensing requirements.

“Drivers must also pass a driving assessment and have fewer than seven penalty points.

“Before granting vehicle licences, on-site examinations are conducted to ensure that the vehicle meets MOT standards and that certain criteria are met, as set out in our current licensing conditions.

“Further proactive enforcement activity is undertaken by the means of on-street inspections, investigations and operator base visits to ensure compliance with legal requirements and licence conditions whilst ensuring the comfort, safety and appearance of vehicles.”

In 2022, 12 taxi drivers were also suspended for failing to complete a DBS requirement, but this number has dropped to just two by September 1, 2023.

10 had been suspended for medical reasons already this year, up from six in 2022.

So it wasn't the *committee* who asked for clarification. But, again, it doesn't say precisely who it was who asked. I'd guess an individual councillor, who shall obviously remain nameless