Issue - meetings

SUSPENSION/REVOCATION OF HACKNEY CARRIAGE/PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER LICENCES

Meeting: 07/03/2017 - Licensing and Safety Committee (Item 574)

SUSPENSION/REVOCATION OF HACKNEY CARRIAGE/PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER LICENCES

A report from the Assistant Director (Localities) is attached.

Minutes:

Licence Holders 03/2017 and 04/2017 were invited into the meeting together at their specific request.  Licence holder 03/2017 was represented by Mr G Bridge, License Holder 04/2017 was unrepresented and both were accompanied by their partners.

 

The Chair asked each Licence Holder individually and Mr G Bridge if they were in agreement to have the hearing in each other’s company and they indicated that they were content that this was the best way to conduct the meeting. It was explained that the licence holders were second cousins and the incident in question had been resolved following a family gathering. 

 

The Chair outlined the procedure to be followed and the Licensing Unit Manager presented a summarised report submitted by the Assistant Director (Localities) on the proposed suspension of the Private Hire Drivers’ Licences.

 

The Licence Holders were before the Licensing and Safety Panel following a violent altercation between both drivers on 5 February 2017.

 

The Licensing and Safety Panel were then showed CCTV footage of the altercation which took place on Silver Street in Bury Town Centre.

                       

Mr G Bridge then addressed the Panel on behalf of Licence Holder 03/2017 explaining that the drivers were second cousins and there was a strong family connection.  This Licence Holder was working for a local taxi firm and their second cousin had started to work for them also but it hadn’t worked out and had left to work with a different operator. This had caused some issues within the family.

 

On 5 February 2017, Licence Holder 03/2017 had stopped their vehicle on Silver Street whilst dropping passengers.  The vehicle then caused an obstruction on the road. It was a rainy night and the passengers had asked to be dropped off directly outside Brambles and the Licence Holder had felt obliged to do this which then caused the obstruction.

 

Licence Holder 04/2017 had then arrived and had been unable to get passed and words were exchanged.  Licence Holder 03/2017 had then got out of their vehicle and approached 04/2017 on the driver’s side and opened the door.  The CCTV showed the footage of Licence Holder 04/2017 then hitting 03/2017 who then returned to their vehicle, realised their glasses had come off and returned to find them.  Another brief altercation took place and then both drivers move off.  Mr G Bridge stated that at no time did Licence Holder 03/2017 use any violence.  Licence Holder 03/2017 reported the incident to the Police as he had an eye injury and was treated at hospital.  Since having reported the incident, the complaint has since been withdrawn and Greater Manchester Police has not had any involvement.

 

Mr G Bridge then referred to a previous warning given to Licence Holder 03/2017 on 6 March 2013, relating to a road rage incident involving a member of the public and explained that Licence Holder 03/2017 was approaching a zebra crossing, again on Silver Street and had a slow speed collision with a pedestrian.  The Police were involved but there was no  ...  view the full minutes text for item 574