Rother action ensures passenger safety
| Published: 1st July 2008 16:28 |
Hastings and Rother Magistrates Court heard on Friday 20 June that on 31 October 2007 Sussex Police and Rother District Council staff stopped four classic and vintage vehicles travelling on the A259 coming out of Bexhill travelling towards Eastbourne. The drivers of each of the four chauffer driven vehicles were cautioned and questioned by the Police and a Rother District Council licensing officer.
The drivers were transporting a group from Bexhill to Eastbourne for what they described as a ‘special occasion'. None of the four drivers held a private hire drivers licence; none of the four vehicles were licensed as private hire vehicles and there was no licensed private hire operator. All the vehicles were un-insured for this type of work, for which the Police issued fixed penalties.
Three of the fours drivers received points on their licences for driving without the correct insurance and their cars were impounded. The three drivers accepted cautions at a later date from Rother's licensing officer. The prosecution was taken against the fourth driver, and owner of 3 of the cars Mr A R Lee, and his wife Mrs S M Lee, who acted as the private hire operator.
Rother had become aware of the activities of Mr and Mrs Lee in March 2007. They were advised twice in writing to licence their operation or risk prosecution. Mrs Lee declined to do so. When the enforcement officer contacted Mrs Lee in October 2007 to make the test purchase, she freely accepted the booking as routine business.
In court Mr and Mrs Lee stated, in addition to this booking, they had completed several bookings for young people to travel to their school proms, but they would no longer be doing so. The magistrates fined the Lee's a total of £1050 with £450 costs to the Council.
All members of the public are advised to check that any vehicle they use for school proms, trips to the theatre, or a day at the races, or any other hiring are licensed by the local authority. Failure to do so means that they are putting themselves at a significant risk firstly because neither the vehicles nor the drivers undergo the same stringent checks as those licensed by the Council and secondly because in the event of an accident, there is in effect no insurance cover for any of the passengers. Potential hirers should always ask to see the licence to be assured that the vehicle and driver have been licensed by the Council. All licensed Drivers should wear the appropriate badge and most vehicles also carry a Rother District Council licence plate. Anyone with any concerns or queries regarding such operations should be made to Rother District Council on 01424 787501.
