Teaming Up To Keep You Safe.

Yesterday, Tuesday 28th June 2016, North Wales Police and Denbighshire County Council Licensing officers conducted a joint operation aimed at ensuring taxi’s in the Rhyl and Prestatyn area are fit for purpose, complying with licensing regulations and in a road worthy condition to carry passengers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During the day long operation 10 taxi’s were stopped and checked in the Rhyl and Prestatyn areas with seven identified with minor defects or non-compliance with licensing regulations. All were dealt with my means of deferred suspension, which means they have a limited period of time to rectify the offence, and with the majority found committing some sort of offence the operation is likely to be repeated in the near future” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sergeant Mark Jones of the Safer Neighbour Policing Team at Prestatyn said “Ensuring the travelling public’s safety and roadworthiness of taxi’s and private hire vehicles is an important part of helping keep communities safe. We have an excellent working relationship with our partners in Denbighshire County Council and our joint operation yesterday ensures that we are all working towards the same goals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Although the vehicle defects were minor all car owners, particularly those who carry fayre paying passengers, have a responsibility and duty of care to keep their passengers safe. It’s very likely this operation will be repeated and so I’d ask the public for their help and if they have any concerns about the roadworthiness of any vehicle to contact North Wales Police” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Emlyn Jones, Denbighshire Council’s Public Protection Manager, said: “We carry out these spot checks occasionally, as part of our efforts to protect the well-being of taxi passengers. As part of our priority of delivering good regulation, we are committed to taking action against the ones that do not invest in safety and therefore undercut the compliant businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Drivers have a responsibility to their passengers, other road users and the community in general to keep their vehicles in a safe and clean condition. It was positive to see that only minor issues were identified and we will continue these joint operations to ensure standards are maintained or improved where necessary” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​