THE latest spot checks on taxis in Pendle saw more than half the vehicles checked failing inspections, although the figures improved from previous crackdowns.

On Monday, January 9, a multi-agency team including Pendle Council licensing officers and the police, tested 22 taxis with 12 failing the spot checks.

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The vehicles were from 16 private hire companies and four hackney carriage owners. Those with faults were taken off the road until the issues were corrected.

The failure rate was 54 per cent after the vehicles were checked by a qualified mechanic when the taxis were stopped in Nelson and Colne.

The figure is an improvement from November when four out of five taxis in Pendle failed council spot check and it was revealed that 12 of the 16 taxi companies operating in the borough had a high failure rate over the course of successive checks.

At the end of November taxi drivers went out on strike without warning over frustration about what they have said are ‘politically motivated’ safety checks.

They claimed changes in safety checks and sanctions were being made without consultation, including a hike in licence fees for vehicles, drivers and operators.

They returned to work after two days and since there has been a joint working party set up to improve standards and relationships in the trade.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: “We have a group made up of a representative from each the three parties on the council, four people from the taxi trade and Pendle Taxi Association and licensing officers.

“We will be meeting again next Tuesday.

“A failure rate of 52 per cent during the latest checks is disappointing but at least the figure is less than in previous operations.

“Our aim of course is to continually improve and for the figure to be zero and that’s why all concerned must work together so the figure continues to fall.

“Safety of those using the taxis is our number one priority.”

Shaf Ahmed, chair of Pendle Taxi Association said that taxi firms and drivers were keen to continue the dialogue.

He said: “It’s still a high figure, more than half during this operation, but I’m encouraged that improvements are being made. As a trade we want to improve.”