Taxi driver's appeal rejected
Magistrates have upheld a decision by Lancaster City Council’s Licensing Regulatory Committee to revoke a taxi driver’s licence for letting down the tyres of a policeman’s fast response vehicle.
Magistrates have upheld a decision by Lancaster City Council’s Licensing Regulatory Committee to revoke a taxi driver’s licence for letting down the tyres of a policeman’s fast response vehicle.
John Mayor, of 24 Brook Road, Morecambe, had his private hire drivers licence revoked by the committee in November 2008.
The committee took the action after hearing that Mayor had been given a Fixed Penalty Notice for driving in a bus lane by PC Brian Mills-Woods on September 20 last year.
After he had been issued with the fine Mr Mayor drove around the one way system in Lancaster, parked his taxi on Queen Street before walking back to the police vehicle. He then proceeded to let the tyres down on the fast response police vehicle that PC Mills-Woods was driving that evening.
PC Mills-Woods was only alerted to the fact his tyres had been deflated when he went back to his vehicle to collect more penalty tickets and noticed Mr Mayor crouching by the car. Mr Mayor was then arrested by PC Mills-Woods.
Mr Mayor appealed the revocation but on Thursday January 29 the magistrates confirmed the committee’s decision that in view of his actions, Mr Mayor was not a fit and proper person to drive members of the public
Coun Tony Wade, chairman of the Licensing Regulatory Committee said: “A licence issued by the council to a private hire driver is in effect the council’s seal of approval that the holder is a fit and proper person to drive members of the public.
“Where we have evidence to the contrary we must take action.
“In this instance the committee was of the opinion that Mr Mayor’s reckless actions could have put lives at risk.
“Due to the seriousness of the incident there was reasonable cause to revoke his private hire licence and I am pleased that this decision has been upheld.”
Date Updated: 19/03/09