Safety fears in vehicle crackdown

MORE than half of vehicles inspected during a clampdown in Barnsley town centre were found to be unroadworthy or unlicensed.

Over four evenings last month Barnsley Council, South Yorkshire Police and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) conducted checks to ensure that taxis and other vehicles were roadworthy and properly licensed. More than 150 vehicles were checked and a “significant” number of problems were found.

Problems found on vehicles included “serious defects”, licensing issues, insurance or Tacograph offences.

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A number of other offences relating to drugs, theft of vehicles and driving while disqualified were also detected.

Coun Charles Wraith, chairman of Barnsley Council’s licensing board, said: “These types of operations are critical to ensuring that those people with dangerous and illegal vehicles are driven off our streets.

“While the council’s regulatory services department can only deal with taxi licensing issues they will continue to work with a range of agencies to target and disrupt bogus, illegal and dangerous vehicles, drivers and operators.”