“DISGRACE”: More than a third of South Ayrshire taxis fail safety inspections
- Perry Richardson
- Aug 29
- 1 min read
More than a third of taxis in South Ayrshire failed inspections between April and June this year, sparking concern over vehicle safety standards in the region.
A new report presented to South Ayrshire Council’s Regulatory Panel confirmed that 36 per cent of inspected taxis failed checks during the three-month period. This marks a sharp increase on the same quarter last year when just 8 per cent of vehicles were found unfit for service.
Civic Licensing Officer Donna Scobie highlighted the scale of the problem at the council meeting. She told councillors: “Unfortunately, there has been an increase from eight per cent to 36 per cent of taxi failures for that quarter.”
The failure rate has been branded a “disgrace” by critics, with questions raised about whether enough is being done to ensure vehicles are properly maintained before entering service.
The findings will place pressure on operators and drivers to bring vehicles up to standard and may lead to stricter enforcement of existing regulations.
The council is expected to consider further measures if high failure rates continue in upcoming inspections.
