Taxi drivers lose licences after arrests

A council has taken licences away from two taxi drivers after they had been arrested.

Cornwall Council minutes show two taxi drivers had their licences revoked after both had driven into stationary cars and been arrested for driving while unfit through drink or drugs and for having drugs in their cabs, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council refused to renew the licence of another taxi driver who had received nine points for speeding within a month.

The council regularly holds private licensing committee meetings to hear pleas for new or renewed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver's Licences in which the drivers are kept anonymous.

A spokesperson for the council said: "To protect passengers and the integrity of Cornwall's taxi and private hire trade, it's vital that licence holders act within the law and can be trusted to keep both their customers and other road users safe."

They said the council acted quickly to protect the public when concerns arose and licences were refused or revoked "where offences have been committed or behaviour falls short of the required standards".

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