FOUR out of 10 taxis spot-checked in a police-led drive to target unsafe vehicles were defective.
Traffic officers, Kirklees licensing officers and officials from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and HM Revenue and Customs carried out a joint operation last night.
Unmarked police vehicles were out in the town centre to stop taxis and escort them to St Andrew’s Road, where they were checked.
Officials conducted breath tests, checked for vehicle defects and illegal fuel and ran the rule over drivers’ licences.
About 40% of the 31 taxis checked had a defect, half of which led to the cars being taken off the road immediately.
One car was seized for having illegal red diesel, with the driver facing an on-the-spot fine of £500.
Pc Mark Waite, of Kirklees road policing team, said: “The figures speak for themselves. 40% of the vehicles had something wrong with them and we can’t be happy about that.
“This is about road safety.
“It’s a very busy time of year and our priority is to ensure the safety of members of the public.
“We want them to be able to enjoy their nights out and get home in one piece.”
Drivers using taxis with serious faults, including bald tyres and defective brake lights, were given a fixed penalty of £60 and told to fix the problems before they would be allowed to resume work.
Pc Waite added: “A simple walk around a vehicle should tell the driver if there are problems with their car.
“If they check the vehicles properly and they are authorised to drive they should have nothing to worry about.”
Michael Mann, VOSA vehicle examiner, was one of the officials carrying out checks.
He said: “We shouldn’t find anything more than a professional driver would. The idea isn’t to stop them earning money, it’s about being fair to the customers.”
As well as faulty vehicles, two drivers were given fines for jumping red lights and two for carrying out illegal u-turns.
Andrew Prescott, licensing officer for Kirklees Council, added: “The whole point of the licensing regime is to ensure the safety of the travelling public.
“It’s one of the busiest times of year and the public need to know the vehicles they are getting into are roadworthy and being driven lawfully.
“A successful night for me would be to find absolutely nothing. We’re not here to try to catch the drivers out.”
Howard Worrell, road control officer for HM Revenue and Customs, was checking the cars for illegal fuel, including red diesel which is primarily designed for agricultural vehicles and should not be used by cars.
He said: “If we catch anyone with red diesel, we have the right to seize the vehicle immediately and issue a fixed penalty of a minimum of £500.”
