Engagement initiative with taxi and private hire cars in Inverness and Fort William

ISSUED BY POLICE SCOTLAND

Highlands and Islands Road Policing Officers along with partners from Highland Council Trading Standards, carried out roadside checks on taxis and private hire cars as part of an engagement initiative ahead of the festive season.

On Thursday 14 and Friday 15 November, 2024, a number of patrols were carried out in the Inverness and Fort William areas with 21 taxis and private hire cars being stopped and checked.

A total of 15 licensing infringements were detected, which were dealt with by Trading Standards.

Four vehicle defects were found with warnings given or the opportunity to rectify these under the Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme.

Road Policing Constable Ben Cruickshank said: "We carried out this operation with our partners ahead of the festive season to ensure that people using taxis or private hire cars can get home safely and everyone can enjoy the season.

"It was also another opportunity for us to give advice and highlight to drivers the importance of regular checks to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy. We were keen to highlight the dangers and serious consequences of not keeping vehicles up to the required standard."

Mark McGinty, Trading Standards Team Leader, states "Joint operations of this nature are an essential part of enforcement and it has been good once again to partner with Police Scotland Road Policing as the Festive season begins. Operations of this nature not only offer an opportunity to gain a snapshot of the level of trade compliance with Licensing laws and conditions but also they allow for direct engagement between the trade and the enforcement community. This dialogue has always been positive be it for the giving of general advice or as a push for those found to have non-compliances, to rectify and raise the standards of what they do to meet that expected of them."

Mr McGinty adds, "Such an operation also of course gives confidence to the general public in that the use of taxis and PHC's in the Highland Council area is safe, legal and fair."