Huge East Midlands operation makes hundreds of taxi safety checks at airport

An operation run by several different agencies has seen hundreds of taxis thoroughly assessed as part of safety checks to further protect passengers across Rushcliffe and neighbouring districts. 

Drivers were stopped on Friday at East Midlands Airport for compliance checks to ensure their vehicles were operating in line with licensing policy, legislation and requirements on road safety.

Of the 135 taxis stopped from across the region, six were given prohibition notices for issues such as tyre defects, vehicle offence reports were made for infringements such as faulty headlights and one vehicle with no insurance was immediately seized. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr, Rob Inglis, attended the operation to join members of the council’s licensing team, other local authorities, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and Leicestershire Police. He said: “We were delighted to join local partners at the Airport to support this operation as the safety of residents and members of the public when using a taxi is of paramount importance. “Officers carried out relevant checks ensuring vehicles met specified standards, drivers were fit and proper to drive and that the vehicle was roadworthy and insured. “These random checks are vital to ensure standards are maintained and those who flout the rules are identified.” 

Image credit: Rushcliffe Council