TAXI drivers and councillors have set up a special group to clamp down on rogue cabbies.
But the new penalty points system could go alongside a reward scheme named Stars on the Cars to recognise good drivers.
Kirklees Council’s Licensing and Safety Panel yesterday decided to investigate bringing in the system to weed out bad drivers.
The proposal would work like the penalty points system for motorists, with any cabbie who collects 12 points in a year facing a month-long suspension. If they got another 12 points within a year, their licence would be revoked.
A blueprint drawn up by Kirklees officers ranks 30 offences according to their seriousness.
Twelve-point offences, which would see a taxi driver immediately facing a month-long suspension, include driving without a licence and driving without insurance.
Several councillors spoke in favour of the plan at yesterday’s committee meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall.
Kirkburton Conservative Clr Adrian Murphy said: “I’m all in favour of a points system. The majority of taxi drivers are good but we need this system for the rogue drivers who give the rest a bad name.”
Clr Derrick Yates agreed. The Liversedge and Gomersal Conservative said: “If drivers obey the rules they won’t pick up any penalty points. We want our drivers to be the best in the country.”
But Labour’s Clr Cath Harris told the meeting that there had to be a carrot as well as a stick. The Ashbrow councillor said: “This system could be read as draconian. What do we have in place that recognises that most taxi drivers are law-abiding?”
Licensing officer Cath Walter revealed that the council was drawing up plans for a reward system similar to the Scores on the Doors hygiene certificates given to takeaways.
She said: “Drivers who meet certain criteria could be awarded with stars which would be included on their door signs. It would be Stars on the Cars rather than Scores on the Doors.
“It would be a reward programme for taxi drivers who operate in a lawful manner.”
Two councillors opposed the penalty points system, saying it wasn’t used by any other council in West Yorkshire.
Labour’s Clr Mumtaz Hussain, of Dewsbury West, said: “I totally disagree with this. Leeds is not doing anything like this.”
Labour’s Clr Peter O’Neill, of Batley West, added: “Why do we need this system if our neighbours don’t have it?”
Amjad Nadeem, secretary of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, also spoke against the plan.
He said: “Between 95% and 100% of drivers would oppose this system. We’re going to end up wasting our time with appeals for someone who’s not wearing appropriate clothing.”
Mr Nadeem said the only answer to rogue drivers was more inspectors. He said: “We need more enforcement officers to catch the people who are causing problems. Better enforcement would eliminate the 5% of problem drivers.”
The committee agreed to set up a working party to draw up a penalty points plan for Kirklees. The group will include four councillors and four taxi drivers.
