FENLAND Council is getting tough with people who drive Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles without licences. The council s licensing committee has recently revoked the licence of a Hackney carriage operator for employing a driver for a school run

FENLAND Council is getting tough with people who drive Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles without licences.

The council's licensing committee has recently revoked the licence of a Hackney carriage operator for employing a driver for a school run contract who did not have a private hire licence.

The council also rejected a private hire licence application from a man who had been operating a private hire vehicle without a licence.

Fenland council is determined to take a tough line with anyone operating without the relevant licence because it puts the public at risk. If an unlicensed driver were to be involved in an accident, any insurance would be invalid and any injured passengers would not be covered.

The council is committed to ensuring that local people are not put at risk by unlicensed and unscrupulous operators and will clamp down hard on anyone they find who is failing to comply with the licensing regulations.

Councillor Kit Owen, portfolio holder with responsibility for licensing, said: "The public has to be able to trust Hackney carriage and private hire vehicle drivers and we will not tolerate anyone operating without the relevant licence. It is putting members of the public at risk and damages the reputation of legitimate operators.