Taxi driver’s licence is revoked by the council
A TAXI driver has had his licence revoked for accepting fares and carrying passengers without a licence following a council appeal.
Sui Hung Yip of Church Village has seen the council’s licensing department’s decision to revoke his licence upheld following an appeal.
An appeal hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court judged that he was not a fit and proper person to drive a taxi, the council said in a statement.
Having previously had his licence revoked by the RCT Council’s licensing department following complaints received regarding his conduct as a driver, the department received information that Yip continued to accept fares and transport passengers without a licence.
As part of an investigation by council officers, the council said Yip accepted a fare with the intention of collecting passengers within the Church Village area.
Officers waited and encountered Yip arrive in a licensed vehicle to collect the fare.
During a conversation with council licensing officers they said Yip admitted accepting the fare without a licence.
The council said that his actions put the public at risk as he would not have been insured to drive the vehicle and accept a fare.
This decision was initially appealed by Yip at magistrates court in December 2021 where the magistrates overturned the revocation but RCT Council appealed this decision at Merthyr Tydfil Crown court on public safety grounds. Following the crown court hearing, the judge agreed with the council and ordered the revocation of the licence.
A spokesperson for RCT Council’s licensing department said: “We have a duty to ensure all taxi drivers in
Rhondda Cynon Taf place paramount importance on the safety of the public.
“A taxi driver holds a position of trust and has a duty of care, and when they fall below the expected standards, we have no hesitation in revoking their licence.
“We are pleased with the outcome of this case.”