Unsafe Taxis removed from service

Police and Council Licensing enforcement officers worked together to remove 10 unsafe vehicles from passenger-carrying duties.

They were especially targetting older or suspect vehicles, which were brought to the Council's Tame Street Garage in Stalybridge.

Taxis and private hire cars over three years of age have a test very six months and those less than three years are tested once every 12 months. However, despite regular testing, vehicles are often found to have faults between tests.

18 vehicles were tested, comprising 12 taxis and 6 Private Hire vehicles (minicabs).��Of these,�12 taxis and�4 minicabs failed their tests -�8 taxis and 2 minicabs have had their licence plates removed.� One of these was in such a corroded state that the owner decided to scrap it.

Tameside Council Executive Member for Environmental Services Cllr Catherine Piddington said: This type of operation is vital to ensure our licensed vehicles are kept to the required standards and are safe for passengers to be transported in. It also provides a reminder for taxi and private hire cab owners that we will act on, deal with and not tolerate poorly maintained vehicles.

We will be particularly targeting vehicles which may have been reported to us for being in bad repair or which are older and more likely to develop faults between tests.
The Council is considering whether to bring in an age limit for Hackney Carriages (taxis) and Private Hire vehicles.

A�spokesman for several local taxi drivers said that while they supported the council's action to remove dangerous vehicles from the road, they were concerned over their own ability to maintain their taxis.� They suggest that fares need to rise to allow enough to be spent on maintaining older vehicles.

Click here to go back to the news page.

Newsletter

Subscribe to the Tameside Radio newsletter and we will send you news about events, promotions and more! [unsubscribe]