COMMENT: Cabbies flouting the law need to feel a tougher justice (From thisisoxfordshire)
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COMMENT: Cabbies flouting the law need to feel a tougher justice
9:00am Monday 21st January 2013 in News
TIMES may be hard and, but there is no excuse for private hire drivers who flout the law.
By plying for hire and picking up fares without a booking, they are violating the terms of their licence and breaking the law by driving without insurance.
That’s why the work of Allan Hibberd and his anonymous team is so vital. They are out protecting Oxford’s fleet of black cabs, but they’re also working on behalf of those private hire drivers who obey the letter of the law.
But the question the Oxford Mail wants to ask is are the penalties tough enough? We are told these drivers get points on their driving licences and fines, but are not always banned from working in the city.
The council should not give these drivers the benefit of the doubt. As Mr Hibberd says, they know the rules and choose to break them, which should automatically put them out of work in the city. Customers, council staff and law-abiding drivers should be vigilant, to ensure rule-breaking cabbies learn from their mistakes the hard way.
