School minibus firm to pay out thousands for using unlicensed vehicle
A Gloucester minibus firm that transports children to and from their homes to school[1] has pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle without a private hire licence. Robertsons Transport Gloucester Ltd, which claims to be the “largest provider of home-to-school transport” in the county, must now pay out more than £3,000.
It was one of three Gloucestershire companies have been prosecuted for private hire vehicle licensing offences. The others are Five Star (Gloucester) Ltd and Five Star / First Associated Transport Ltd which operated a private hire vehicle without it having a private hire licence and employed a driver who did not have a private hire licence.
Robertsons Transport Gloucester[2] Ltd pleaded guilty to after being reported by Tewkesbury[3] Borough Council. It was fined £1,384, reduced to £1,000 due to an early guilty plea. The company was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £369 and costs of £1,851.
Five Star / First Associated Transport Ltd was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay a £600 victim surcharge and £2,491 in costs. Five Star (Gloucester) Ltd did not receive a separate penalty as both companies are under the same directorship.
The companies were prosecuted at Cheltenham[5] Magistrates Court on July 10 after compliance checks were undertaken by Gloucestershire County Council[6] officers. Tewkesbury Borough Council says it is “vital that all private hire vehicles and drivers are licensed in the interests of public safety.”
Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment, Councillor Sarah Hands, said: “Ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors is of paramount importance to us. These successful prosecutions send a clear message that we will not tolerate unlicensed vehicles and drivers.
“Our licensing team will continue to work diligently to protect public safety and uphold the integrity of our local transport services.”
References
- ^ transports children to and from their homes to school (www.robertsonstransport.co.uk)
- ^ Gloucester (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Tewkesbury (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Driver arrested after children escape dramatic crash uninjured (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Cheltenham (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Gloucestershire County Council (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)