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Torbay taxi driver’s dual licence REVOKED after further concerns around driving standards and conduct following suspension
A Torbay driver lost her licence with immediate effect after councillors found that earlier suspension and training had not resolved concerns about her driving and conduct.
Torbay Council revoked the dual taxi and private hire driver’s licence with immediate effect after further concerns arose within months of her return to licensed driving following a three-month suspension.
The council’s Regulatory Sub-Committee made the decision on 10 September 2026. The driver had previously been suspended in November 2025 following 19 complaints covering driving standards, customer service and conduct. She completed the advanced driving and customer service training required before returning to work.
Councillors gave significant weight to a road traffic collision on 28 March 2026. The driver accepted responsibility for driving without due care and attention, which police formally recorded, although she was not prosecuted in court. The committee regarded the incident as further evidence of poor driving standards.
The committee also considered complaints about the driver following vehicles licensed in Teignbridge and attempting to photograph them. It said the evidence did not conclusively prove allegations of stalking or harassment and gave those allegations little weight. The driver did, however, admit following another licensed vehicle to obtain a photograph. Councillors considered that poor judgement.
In a separate incident, the driver accepted that she had been fourth in a three-car taxi rank. The committee viewed the over-ranking incident alongside the earlier concerns about her conduct and compliance with licensing requirements.
Councillors considered the driver’s account of family stress, her father’s stroke and her reliance on taxi driving for income. They concluded that the overall pattern of concerns, particularly after her previous suspension and training, meant they could no longer regard her as a fit and proper person to hold a driver’s licence. They were not persuaded that another warning, course or suspension would bring about the improvement required.
The revocation took immediate effect because the committee considered that allowing her to continue driving during the appeal period would pose a risk to public safety.
No action was taken against her hackney carriage vehicle proprietor’s licence.
