New deal to tackle the rogue cabbies

of the six areas, they could be stopped and appropriate action can be taken against them by licensed enforcement officers.

The cross-border enforcement is the first of many projects the six authorities are working on to support the taxi and private hire trades and improve the safety and comfort of the travelling public

The range of offences covered include: Driving without insurance. Picking up passengers on the street that haven’t pre-booked.

Driving with vehicle defects such as faulty brake lights or bald tyres.

Displaying incorrect signs so that it is not clear the vehicle is a taxi or private hire vehicle.

Smoking while sitting in the taxi.

Driving licence.

Clr David Sheard, who chairs the West Yorkshire Licensing Chairs’ Committee said: “When you get in a taxi you should be confident that the vehicle is safe, well maintained and that the person driving is licensed, insured and trustworthy.

“The only way to guarantee that is to have a strict set of rules that are regularly enforced.

“It makes absolute sense to carry out cross-border enforcement – when we travel by taxi we do not restrict our journeys to one area;.

“So we, as authorities, shouldn’t restrict how we enforce the rules around driving those vehicles.

“It is worth saying that the majority of taxi and private hire drivers and their vehicles are safe, and comply with the law.

“For them this change will have no impact.

“It is those who believe that the law doesn’t apply to them, who selfishly drive without considering the safety of their passengers, who will notice a change.”