Cabbies in and around Peterborough have been left reeling by a recent series of taxi inspections.
The hard-hitting taxi checks saw more than half of the cabs inspected fall short of one regulation or another.
30 Hackney carriage and private hire taxis were checked over by Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire police in conjunction with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).
Taxi Checks
16 cabs were found to be in violation of taxi regulations due to mechanical faults. Four vehicles were immediately pulled from service for defective hand brakes, steering faults and damaged tyres.
A total of 11 cabbies were booked for breaching taxi licensing laws. These included failure to keep records, wearing an identity badge and carrying a fire extinguisher in the cab. Each taxi operator received up to four points on their taxi licence as a result.
One Huntingdon cabbie was found to be operating even though his taxi licence had previously been revoked. He was reported to Cambridgeshire police and faces a fine and a possible sentence.
Owners of the suspended taxis must make a series of changes as outlined by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, in order to resume trade. The police and the local council will verify these rectifications have been carried out in accordance with the recommended taxi licensing criteria.
The taxi check operation, which was carried out at Bourges Boulevard in Peterborough, lasted almost four hours.