Taxi driver has licence cancelled

A taxi driver has had his licence cancelled until he completes an advanced driver’s online course.

At a meeting of the Powys Taxi Licensing sub-committee held on Friday, February 25, councillors heard that an application for a joint hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence could not be decided as the unnamed individual had been disqualified from driving.

The minutes of the meeting in February which had been held in confidential session were brought up at a meeting of the council’s Planning Committee on Thursday, April 7.

Committee chairman, Cllr Karl Lewis asked Cllrs David Selby and Les George who had attended the taxi licensing meeting with him in February – if they were happy with the minutes.

Both Cllrs Selby and George indicated that they were, and the minutes were ratified by the planning committee.

The meeting in February had heard that the applicant had attended an online driving speed awareness course, but due to internet issues, had not been able to complete it.

The internet issues persisted when he tried to do the course for a second time.

Due to this, he received points on his licence for not “satisfactorily completing” the course.

The councillors were told that there were two specific speeding incidents, one when he was not driving a taxi.

The second incident – was an occasion where the driver of his taxi had committed a speeding offence but could not be identified – despite photographic evidence of the incident.

This meant that the applicant as the “taxi operator,” had to admit to the offence.

After hearing the submissions, the councillors retired to consider the evidence.

They decided that the licence would be revoked until the applicant has “successfully completed a suitable advanced driving course.”