Police operation aimed to deter taxis and minicabs travelling in from Tier 3 areas hailed a success

Image credit: Merseyside Road Policing Unit (Twitter)

Merseyside Roads Policing Unit carried out a mammoth weekend enforcement operation focusing on taxi and private hire vehicles across Merseyside.

The operation aimed to deter taxi drivers from travelling into Merseyside from Tier 3 areas and to identify uninsured or defective vehicles for the safety of all road users.

Across the two day operation, starting Friday 18 December and finishing Saturday 19 December, 27 taxi drivers were issued with enforcement action, including defect notices or suspension of licences.

A total of 170 taxis were inspected by Merseyside‘s dedicated Roads Policing Unit, in line with COVID and road safety regulations.

The operation was carried out in partnership with Liverpool City Council and City of Wolverhampton Council Taxi Licensing, the biggest taxi licensing unit in the UK.

Inspector Chris Barnes said: “The threat of Coronavirus is still very real here in Merseyside and we simply cannot let our guard down, or allow any behaviour or travel which heightens the risk of infection within our communities. That’s why officers were out this weekend taking action against taxis travelling in from Tier 3 and other areas.

“As a result of the work of our dedicated Roads Policing Unit, defective and unlicensed vehicles, which can cause huge risks for companies, drivers and their customers were taken off the road this weekend.

“I’d encourage all taxi drivers and operators to regularly check your vehicles, as the vast majority do. Keeping our roads safe for all road users is vital, and we know too well the devastation that serious collisions can and do cause. We will keep on doing all in our power to reduce this impact.”