A Fife taxi firm has been stripped of several operating licences after councillors heard details of a shocking litany of test failures.
Alarming DIY repairs using everything from sections of garden hose to cable ties were flagged up as cabs owned by GS Enterprises (St Andrews) Ltd were put under the microscope. Five of the firm’s six taxis were found to fall short of the standards required.
During a special meeting of Fife Council’s regulation and licensing committee, elected members spoke of their horror following the inspection reports. Councillors insisted that they had no option but to suspend five of the company’s operating licences leaving just one cab in its fleet.
Faulty handbrakes, fuel and oil leaks, damaged bodywork, excess emissions, perilous DIY repairs and faulty headlights were among the catalogue of problems flagged up during Tuesday’s meeting of the committee.
Nobody from GS Enterprises (St Andrews) Ltd attended to argue the firm’s case and the suspensions were unopposed.
Tom Henderson is fleet services manager with Fife Council. It fell to him to inform councillors of the reasons for the test failures. The list was far from short and Mr Henderson said there did not appear to have been any programme of maintenance for the vehicles.
“In one serious case an oil leak from a steering pipe had been temporarily repaired with a piece of garden hose and some jubilee clips,” he said.Wrongly-sized wheelOn another of the taxis a headlamp bulb had been secured by a cable tie, while on a third a wrongly-sized wheel had been fitted. Mr Henderson added that several of the vehicles were presented for inspection in a “filthy” condition.
Councillors warned that Fifers could face significant risks due to the “appalling and horrific” conditions of the taxis operated by GS Enterprises.
Jim Burke took the chair for Tuesday’s meeting, saying, “The message must go out that this committee will not tolerate such disregard for public safety. People could be at risk due to the state of these vehicles.
“I am extremely disappointed with these inspection reports… the firm has shown no consideration for public safety. Both drivers and passengers could have been put at risk.”
Councillor Mike Rumney was similarly appalled. “This operator is thumbing its noses at this committee and the council it is shocking.”
Other elected members agreed, accusing the firm of “not giving a damn” for road safety.
Nobody from GS Enterprises was available for comment on Tuesday, although it is understood that the one taxi licence which was not suspended has now been switched to another operator.
As reported in The Courier last month, councillors previously heard that a total of 21 cabs in east Fife failed annual tests this year. Only five fails were reported in the west of the region.
Among those facing a suspension hearing on Tuesday was Edward Allan of Balmullo. He retained his licence but also took the opportunity to raise the state of the region’s road surfaces.
After hearing that among the reasons for the failure of his cab was a faulty wheel trim, he said, “The wheel was fine when I set off for the testing station and was only damaged on the way because there are so many holes in the road.”