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Posted on the 4th April 2025 in PHTM News
CHELTENHAM CABBIE LOSES LICENCE OVER BALD TYRES AFTER GOLD CUP CHECK
A taxi driver has been stripped of their licence by Cheltenham Borough Council after a vehicle compliance check revealed dangerously worn tyres in the hours following the Cheltenham Festival's Gold Cup.
The inspection, conducted in the early hours of Saturday, 15 March, by a council licensing officer and Taxi Compliance Officer at Avon and Somerset Police, found both front tyres of the vehicle to be significantly below the legal tread depth, with one measuring a mere 0.6mm, far below the 1.6mm legal limit.
The discovery prompted an immediate referral to the council's Miscellaneous Licensing Sub-Committee, which convened on 2 April, to review the driver's licence.
Committee members expressed serious concerns regarding the impact of the worn tyres on stopping distances, a history of tyre-related issues during MOT tests, and the driver's apparent failure to conduct vehicle safety checks to a level expected of licence holders.
Allowing the tyres to deteriorate to such a level at any time, but especially during the Cheltenham Festival, the busiest week of the year for the taxi and private hire trade where public safety is paramount, was not acceptable and it was the unanimous decision of the committee to revoke the licence as a result.
Michelle Bignell, manager of licensing and public protection at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: "The decision by the licensing sub-committee demonstrates the council’s commitment to public safety and that members will not tolerate a lack of regard to high standards that licence holders should demonstrate in terms of vehicle safety."
Bignell further stressed the importance of daily vehicle checks, stating: "All licence holders should conduct daily checks to ensure that their vehicles are safe to carry members of the public."
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