According to the BBC, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council’s senior legal and licensing officer, Gary Waterfield stated “The holding of regular spot checks… is to demonstrate to the taxi and private hire trade that the Council will not tolerate those who do not take their obligations to comply with safety measures seriously.”
It is important that individuals who are providing a service which involves public safety are brought to task if they fall short of the standards required of them and, in suspending this taxi driver’s licence, the Council have moved to show that public safety is of paramount concern.
If you are involved in an accident as a passenger in a private hire vehicle, or any vehicle for that matter, it is very important that you make sure that you obtain the details of all the parties involved in the accident. This is to make sure that whichever party is found to be liable for the accident that you have the full details and are able to trace the party at fault.
As taxi drivers usually work as independent contractors for taxi firms, getting the taxi firm name may not be sufficient, as they may find it difficult to trace the taxi driver’s details.