Late-night taxi and private hire checks see two vehicles removed from Leicestershire roads
Updated: Dec 5, 2021
A late-night taxi and private hire operation has seen two vehicles taken off Leicestershire roads after safety concerns in the run up to festive celebrations.
Licensing officers from North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC), with the support of Leicestershire Police, carried out spot checks on 11 private hire and hackney cabs over the weekend to ensure vehicles are safe.
The night-time operation saw officers complete rigorous tests, like an MOT, on the licensed vehicles to make sure they are roadworthy and keep passengers safe.
The operation resulted in:
Three with no defects
One advisory
Seven in need of retesting, including two with serious safety concerns.
The licensing plates have been temporarily removed from the vehicles with serious safety defects while they are made safe. Once defects are repaired a total of seven licensed taxis and private hire cars will be retested to ensure they’re road legal.
The operation was completed in addition to regular vehicle checks; taxis up to six years old are annually inspected by the licensing team, while older vehicles are tested every six months to ensure they’re safe.
The spot-check event was the first completed by the North West Leicestershire Safety Partnership since 2019, although officers have continued to maintain strict safety standards through regular testing.
Cllr Andrew Woodman, Chair of the Safety Partnership, said: “When you’re planning a night out or party you want to know that the taxi you’re using is safe and roadworthy.
“The majority of the vehicles inspected during the operation were in great condition or had minor defects, but it’s reassuring to know the two with serious safety concerns have been taken off the road so the drivers can bring them back up to standard.
“We take public safety seriously and this operation in the run up to Christmas is on top of our regular taxi testing programme.”
