LIVERPOOL, ACTION TAKEN IN HUNDREDS OF CASES

Hundreds of taxi and private hire drivers have been snared for offences including drugs, driving without insurance and “cherry picking” passengers.

A major clampdown by Liverpool City Council has seen scores of cautions and defect notices handed to private hire and hackney drivers in a bid to improve standards.

Two drivers have been taken off the road altogether for drug offences.

The action follows an ECHO investigation earlier this year which exposed a huge range of offences being committed by drivers in the city centre.
We went out with hackney drivers and private hire drivers and found issues relating to both sides of the trade.

Working with Merseyside Police, council officers have identified hundreds of drivers from Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral who were committing a wide range of offences while working in the city.

The most serious cases have seen two drivers – one private hire and one hackney - having their licences revoked for drug related offences.

At Liverpool Magistrates Court this week, 14 drivers were fined a total of £4,655 - for offences including tyre defects, trying to pick up passengers who had not booked and driving without insurance.

In addition, 118 vehicle defect notices and 57 cautions have been issued for offences such as cherry picking - where cab drivers opt not to pick people up despite having an empty vehicle and their light on - as well as having an illegal tyres and not having their plates firmly fixed on – while a further seven vehicles were ordered off the road immediately.

And 160 fixed penalty notices have been issued to the drivers of private cars who parked illegally on taxi stands, taking up space meant for hackneys.
Councillor Christine Banks, chair of the council’s licensing committee, said: “We want to make sure that our taxi industry is fair, and we are determined to crack down on those drivers who are flouting the rules.

“Our aim is to make the playing field for all drivers as level as it can be.

“Unfortunately, there are a very small minority who breach regulations, and we are committed to taking action and in doing so, send a clear message out that it is not acceptable.

“Passengers should always ensure they only use properly licensed taxis or pre-book private hire vehicles, otherwise they are placing themselves in danger.”

The prosecutions are part of a series of measures being undertaken by the council and police to crackdown on taxi and private hire drivers breaking the law.

The council works with police officers who have been through a specialist taxi licensing course to help them spot vehicles that aren’t compliant with the law.

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A taxi driver said he suffered this horrific injury after a BRICK was thrown through his hackney cab window.

The 55-year-old, who asked not to be named, said he was struck to the side of his face with the brick after it smashed through his passenger side window last night.

Monday night was Mischief Night and it saw a massive spike in anti social behaviour , with a number of buses, cars and houses targeted by yobs across Merseyside, prompting Mayor Joe Anderson to send out a warning to parents.

The brick attack caused the injured dad to crash his taxi into railings near Belle Vale Shopping Centre at around 7pm.

His daughter said her dad, who remains in hospital, was knocked unconscious in the attack and can only remember being shaken awake by a stranger who came to help.

The 22-year-old, from Mossley Hill , said: “When I first saw him I was crying and in total shock.
“He can’t remember what happened but the woman who helped him said she saw a group of kids and it was them that threw the brick.

“It is horrible what they have done.”

The injured dad, who has only been a taxi driver for a year, had to undergo a CT scan and today had to go to St Paul’s eye hospital for tests, but is now home.

His daughter added: “It is so swollen and he can’t see out of it at all.

“He was in a lot of pain and had to be given morphine at hospital.

“Thankfully they don’t think there is any permanent damage but my mum said how much worse it could have been.

“He could have crashed into another car or person, thankfully he just crashed into railings and he didn’t have any passengers in his taxi.”
The family said they reported the incident to police but were unable to give any descriptions of those responsible.

The daughter added: “They need to be found because we think whoever it is will do it again.
“I think it is unsafe for my dad to be driving now after this.

“These kids think it is a joke but they don’t realise it is not just the physical harm they have done.
“My dad can’t work now and has been told it will be quite a while until he can again.

“He will also have to pay to fix his taxi that was damaged in the crash.”

The family said they had reported the incident to Merseyside Police .

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