Taxi drivers have licence suspended after death-trap vehicles seized by police across North Yorkshire

Fourteen out of 16 taxi and private hire vehicles that were stopped by police over the weekend were issued with legal notices due to the dangerous condition they were in. The drivers also had their taxi licence suspended.

Faults included tyres that were so worn the inner cords were exposed, fuel leaks and doors that wouldn't open.

The defects were so unsafe that immediate prohibition notices were issued on seven of the 16 vehicles, meaning they must not be driven.

Issues with brakes, wheel nuts, exhausts suspension components were also found on a further seven vehicles during the vehicle inspections in York. They were issued with delayed prohibition notices, meaning the faults must be fixed and the vehicle re-inspected.

They were stopped by police on roads in York and taken to a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) inspection site.

It was part of a joint road safety operation involving North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, the DVSA and licensing enforcement officers from City of York Council and local authorities in West Yorkshire.

“Proper vehicle maintenance is always important, especially for professional drivers who the public trust to transport them safely. There is simply no excuse for neglecting this."

“By working with the DVSA and local authorities, we can ensure anyone who doesn’t maintain their vehicle to the correct standard is detected and dealt with robustly.”

North Yorkshire Police said similar operations are planned in the near future as part of the safety clampdown.