Spot checks of taxis at Bristol International Airport
(BIA) found that over one in four vehicles were not fit to be on
the road.
A multi-agency enforcement exercise took place at the airport at
the end of May.
Officers from North Somerset Council, Bristol City Council,
South Gloucestershire Council, Sedgemoor District Council, the
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), Avon and Somerset
Constabulary and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) joined
forces in a bid to hunt out unsafe vehicles and drivers.
Checks were made to ensure that vehicles being used for
transport of passengers to and from the airport were correctly
licensed and in a safe condition. Investigations were also made to
ensure that individuals were not fraudulently claiming benefits
whilst working as taxis drivers.
In total 55 vehicles including taxis and mini buses, were
inspected and 15 prohibition notices were issued by VOSA for
vehicles with defects. The defects included worn tyres, defective
seat belts, a fuel leak, cracked and obscured windscreens and
defective braking systems. These vehicles were stopped from being
used for carrying passengers until the defects had been
rectified.
The checks also revealed two unlicensed vehicles in use as taxis
and two unlicensed taxi drivers. Legal action is being considered
in relation to the unlicensed vehicles and drivers.
Vehicles being operated by nearby off site car park businesses
had a higher rate of defects. Of the nine vehicles inspected, six
received prohibition notices representing a failure rate of
66%.
The exercise revealed an overall failure rate of 27% of the
vehicles inspected in terms of not being roadworthy.
Cllr Felicity Baker, executive member with responsibility for
licensing said: " These worrying figures, along with the presence
of unlicensed vehicles and drivers, raises serious concerns in
terms of the safety of people using taxis and courtesy vehicles at
the airport. In view of the results, further vehicle checks will be
carried out at the airport to ensure that standards are raised.
This is essential to ensure public safety."
Ian Hiles, Ground Transportation General Manager at Bristol
International Airport, added: "Bristol International is committed
to initiatives aimed at ensuring passenger safety and we regularly
support the authorities in enforcement exercises such as this. Taxi
journeys play a key role in transporting passengers to and from the
airport so it is vital that the highest standards are
maintained.
"Our fleet of on-site car park buses is rigorously serviced and
fully licensed. The same can be said for CheckerCars, the dedicated
on-site private-hire taxi operator.
"However, we have no control over the safety and licensing of
independent taxis and off-site minibuses which are also able to
drop off and pick up at the airport. Well co-ordinated spot checks
such as this can help to safeguard all passengers and so have our
full support."
