This in from the police, in their own words. Ed
A multi-agency operation focusing on the safety and mechanical condition of taxis and private hire vehicles in Newport, on the Isle of Wight, has been hailed a success.
On Tuesday, 7 July, officers from the Roads Policing Unit and Armed Response Team joined the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Isle of Wight Taxi Licensing Department and Customs and Excise to stop taxis and private hire vehicles to check they met the conditions of their licence.
Vehicle checks
The mechanical state of the vehicles, insurance details and the fuel was checked for each vehicle, as well as ensuing they had the extra safety items needed, such as fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
More than 70 vehicles were checked – with only two vehicles having a mechanical condition that required them to be prohibited at the roadside. Both vehicles require the fault to be fixed and an MOT before they can go back on the road. Additionally warnings were given out for some minor vehicle faults.
Vast majority of taxis kept to required standard
Sergeant Neil Lancaster said:
“This was a successful operation, which showed that the vast majority of taxis on the Isle of Wight are kept to the required standard, ensuring the safety of the public.
“This is the highest number of vehicles we have checked in this sort of operation, with the lowest number of faults or offences. It’s encouraging that the standard has improved.
“These targeted operations are generally well supported by the public and we will continue to respond with similar activities in the future.”
