Maidenhead & Windsor

Spot checks on black taxis and minicabs operating in the Maidenhead Royal Borough last Saturday night (May 13) left council licensing officers "very encouraged" by the high standard of vehicles put under the spotlight.

The joint operation involved the licensing teams from both the Maidenhead Royal Borough and Slough Borough Council, Thames Valley Police and and VOSA (the MOT specialists) and it saw 40 vehicles checked during the evening.

Police officers on vehicle patrol in Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead stopped drivers of both hackney carriages (black taxis) and private hire cars (minicabs) who were directed to the check point at Dedworth. There they came under the scrutiny of the VOSA inspection team to ensure the vehicles' roadworthiness, followed by checks carried out by the police and the local authority licensing officers.

Maidenhead Cllr Wilson Hendry, chairman of the Royal Borough's licensing panel, said he was pleased by the success of this joint operation. "Our aim is to ensure that when people hail or call a cab they will be getting into a vehicle that is not only properly licensed but is safe and roadworthy. Saturday night's operation showed no serious defects on the cars called in for checking and is a very encouraging result."

Gillian Ralphs, assistant director of transport and planning for Slough Borough Council, said: "The combined operations between ourselves, the police and Windsor and Maidenhead taxi licensing officers and VOSA are proving very effective in ensuring the safety and comfort of all of our residents who just want to get home after a night out."

Acting chief inspector Pete Carter, of Slough local police area, said: "Our roads policing officers were very pleased with the high standards found during the taxi checks on Saturday night. However, we are aware of frustrations amongst taxi drivers in Slough about the way the operation was conducted. A meeting has been arranged on Friday 19 May to address their concerns. It will be attended by senior police officers, local council licensing officers and taxi drivers."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead