Council revokes private hire driver’s licence due to safety concerns

The driver was referred to the sub-committee following a vehicle compliance check in the early hours of the morning of Saturday 15 March during Race Week – one of Cheltenham’s busiest periods. This decision came after a vehicle compliance check revealed serious safety issues with the driver’s vehicle.

During the check, which was carried out by a Licensing Officer at Cheltenham Borough Council and a Taxi Compliance Officer at Avon and Somerset Police, both front tyres of the driver’s vehicle were found to be below the legal limit of 1.6mm, with one as low as 0.6mm.

Due to the serious public safety concerns posed by the bald tyres, the driver was referred to the committee for a review of their licence.

At the committee, Members raised concerns about the impact of low tread depth on stopping distances; a history of problems with the tyres noted during MOT tests; and that the driver had not been carrying out regular checks of his vehicle to a level expected of licence holders.

Allowing the tyres to deteriorate to such a level at any time, but especially during the Cheltenham Festival, the busiest week of the year for the taxi and private hire trade where public safety is paramount, was not acceptable, and it was the unanimous decision of the committee to revoke the licence as a result.

Michelle Bignell, manager of licensing and public protection at Cheltenham Borough Council, said:

“The decision by the licensing sub-committee demonstrates the council’s commitment to public safety and that members will not tolerate a lack of regard to high standards that licence holders should demonstrate in terms of vehicle safety. 

“All licence holders should conduct daily checks to ensure that their vehicles are safe to carry members of the public.”