Taxi safety checks shock-Walsall

Taxi safety checks shock

http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/12/09/taxi-safety-checks-shock/

Hundreds of taxis used by Walsall revellers and shoppers failed their MOTs, a safety check has revealed.

Of the vehicles tested, 86 per cent failed an MOT on several faults.

The findings were due to be debated in private but Walsall Council insisted they be made public.

These included brake and tyre failures and suspension problems, prompting fears about the number of unsafe cars and cabs on the road.

A total of 1,067 private hire and hackney carriage vehicles were scheduled to attend Walsall Council’s MOT Test Centre between April and September this year.

However, just 787 were tested, as 280 drivers failed to show up. Of those which did, 463 vehicles failed. This resulted in a 59 per cent fail rate – but 399 failed on more than one safety criteria amounting to 86 per cent.


The high failure in rate Walsall compares with around 27 per cent nationally and tests include lights, seat belts along with the level of car emissions