6:00am Monday 15th March 2010
ONE in five cars pulled over in a police crackdown on suspect vehicles was a taxi.
And half of those private-hire vehicles had their licences revoked on the spot because they should not have been on Bolton’s roads, officers found.
The results of the police operation last night prompted calls for the authorities to get tougher on private-hire cars — and drivers with “people’s lives in their hands” to clean up their acts.
It comes after concerns for the safety of the town’s private-hire cars were raised at the end of last year by Cllr David Wilkinson, of Bolton Council’s licensing committee.
Last night he said: “I am extremely worried by these figures, but not surprised. It confirms concerns I have had for some time that despite spot-checks of vehicles, the messages are not getting through to certain members of the trade.
“A significant minority do not seem to understand the importance of the terms and conditions of their licence or roadworthiness.”
Officers from Greater Manchester Police were out in force in Deane on Friday as part of a national day of action.
They used Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology and intelligence to pull over 150 vehicles in four hours.
ANPR checks registration plates against a national database and flags up any issues with drivers, or whether the vehicle is taxed or insured, so officers can act immediately.
The technology has become a valuable police tool for uncovering and disrupting criminal activity.
Of the 150 vehicles which ANPR highlighted, 28 were private-hire vehicles, of which 15 had their licences suspended immediately.
Inspector Paul Philbin said: “The day was all about denying criminals the use of the road and disrupting them, while reassuring the public that we are doing something.
“The licences were suspended for various offences, breach of licence and vehicles defects, so it was about road safety too.
“At the end of the day, it could be you or me getting in those vehicles on a night out so everything needs to be in order.”
Asif Vali runs Rapid Private Hire and has about 40 vehicles operating in Bolton.
He said: “I am shocked by the figures, these drivers have people’s lives in their hands.
“I think these operations are very good because people with breaches or defects need to be found and it sends out the messages.
“This should not be happening though and raises questions, are the owners getting warnings or reprimands, should the council go back to testing vehicles, instead of opening it up to other garages, which the private-hire association and council need to look at.”
Private-hire drivers have to abide by a range of conditions, including carrying a copy of the conditions with them at all times, holding a valid private-hire licence and wearing a driver’s badge at all times.
Defects could include bald tyres and broken seatbelts.
The operation also saw police issue 42 fixed-penalty notices for issues such as using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt; five cars were seized for having no insurance; and officers are investigating a number of vehicles.
Two drivers were arrested because they were wanted by police.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/trade_directory/