‘SHOCKING’: Just THIRTY PERCENT of taxis in Buckinghamshire pass roadside vehicle licensing checks
Updated: Dec 28, 2022
Just thirty percent of Buckinghamshire Council taxis passed enforcement checks in the area concerning residents and regular taxi users.
Officers from Thames Valley Police’s Amersham base conducted a two day operation with Buckinghamshire Council Licensing team this week as part of Operation Holly.
20 taxis were stopped across Aylesbury, Wendover, Stoke Mandeville, High Wycombe and Princes Risborough.
The council handed out several vehicle sanctions including three vehicles taken off the road for ‘major’ defects and immediately suspended by the council. The defects included two with unsatisfactory tyres and one with door/window defect.
Another ELEVEN vehicles were found with ‘minor’ defects and issued tickets to rectify within 21 days. Defects included missing first aid kits, fire extinguishers and bodywork damage, wrong number plates and incorrect council livery displayed
There were also sanctions issued to the driver by the council too. Five drivers were found not wearing their driver badge or failed to produce driver badge.
A Thames Valley Police Roads Policing Unit spokesperson said: “The council enforcement team will carry out further investigations to determine some drivers fitness to continue to hold a licence, keeping you safe as a result.”
Local resident Gary King said: “Out of 20 vehicles checked, ONLY 6 were found to have no concerns! That's ONLY 30% of vehicles/drivers that were ok. SHOCKING!
“Surely this highlights a major concern and that many more taxis should be checked.”
Paul Eden added: “6 out of 20? That's a poor strike rate.”
