Crackdown on
Private Hire drivers breaking
pick up rulesPRIVATE hire
drivers are being warned they could face a fine or prosecution if they pick up
passengers who haven't pre-booked the fare.
In the run up to Christmas undercover operations are being carried out by City
Council Licensing Officers and Merseyside Police to identify any Private Hire
drivers who are picking up fares which are not pre-booked.
On a night operation, named:- 'Operation Inman', 5
Private Hire drivers
were found to be plying for hire, another was found waiting in a Hackney rank
and 2 had no plates affixed to their vehicle.
The drivers will now go to Court and may face prosecution, which could result in
6 to 8 points on their driving licence and a heavy fine.
Councillor Christine Banks, Chair of the Licensing Committee, said:- "We
want to make sure that our taxi industry is fair, and we are determined to crack
down on those private hire drivers who are flouting the rules and taking work
from hackney cabs.
The run up to Christmas is an incredibly busy time for drivers and unfortunately
there is a very small minority who breach the regulations to make extra money;
we are committed to taking action and in doing so, send a clear message out to
stop this activity being commonplace over the next few weeks."
During the operation,
Undercover Officers approached an additional 60 Private
Hire drivers; all of whom refused to accept the fare.
Merseyside area licensing
information links:-
Sefton -
Liverpool -
Wirral -
St Helens |
