Liverpool council clamps down on over 400 taxi and private hire drivers

Liverpool City Council have clamped down on taxi and private hire drivers which has seen more than 400 drivers pulled over in the last month for various offences. 

In November the council requested that nine vehicles were taken off the road immediately and seven drivers were prosecuted in court. Six of the seven drivers held private hire licences and one was a licensed hackney driver respectively. 

According to the Liverpool Echo council officials also issued 266 penalty notices to owners of private vehicles who were illegally parking on taxi ranks. 

Within the 400 offences counted 82 defect notices were given to taxi and private hire drivers, of which nine of those vehicles were ordered off the road with immediate effect. A further 17 defect or suspension notices were handed to drivers from other neighbouring authorities. 

Other offenses include cherry picking, tyre condition, not displaying their badge, private hire parked on ranks and licence plates not properly fixed on.

Councillor Christine Banks, Chair of the Licensing Committee, said: “Our licensing staff are cracking down on those drivers who are flouting the law. We are on the side of those drivers who play by the rules, and are determined to make the playing field as level as it can be. “There are a very small minority who breach regulations, and we are committed to taking action and in doing so, send a clear message out that it is not acceptable."