Whitby.

A police inspection of Whitby’s taxi rank found 20% of drivers were committing offences from failing to wear identification badges to having vehicle defects.

The operation was carried out on Friday 27 September with the police, county and borough councils.

26 vehicles were inspected and while two thirds were given a clean bill of health, four received defect notices for worn tyres and minor issues with steering and exhaust systems.

Driver documentation was also inspected and 20% of drivers were found to be committing offences either for failing to wear their badge and/or failing to display their photographic I.D, one was taken to task for having no door signage on his private hire vehicle, failing to wear his badge and also having no photographic ID on display.

Warnings were also issued for dirty cars and the prosecutable offence of permitting a private hire vehicle to be parked on a hackney carriage rank.

Police officers confirmed that whilst some fixed penalty notices could also have been issued, repair notices were used on this occasion instead.

Coun Brian Watson, chairman of the borough council’s, said: “We take the safety of the travelling public very seriously and it is important that licensed drivers adhere to the law with regard to vehicle maintenance, tax and insurance to ensure the safety of all road users.”

“We shall be organising more snap inspections in the near future and taking firm action where vehicles are found not to be fully roadworthy. The same shall apply to drivers who are non-complaint, particularly where they fail to display the mandatory photographic ID notices or fail to wear ID badges.”