A Notice of Motion has been submitted to Cheshire East Council calling on officers to pursue tighter regulation on out-of-borough taxis operating locally.

Current loopholes allow drivers licensed elsewhere to operate locally and avoid the level of scrutiny applied to drivers and cars licensed in Cheshire East. 

Crewe resident, Vicky Shaw, who has witnessed the increase in out-of-borough taxis locally, reached out to Crewe councillors.

Vicky told Nub News: "The number of taxis operating locally under license plates from Wolverhampton, Stoke, Sefton and beyond has exploded over the last few years.

"These out of borough drivers are often a law onto themselves. Locals have observed them at times illegally plying for kerbside trade, they operate outside of local safeguarding control and at times even park up without any licencing plates outside Crewe schools.

"The safeguarding concern, particularly in respect to vulnerable adults and children, specifically in the Nantwich Road area is of particular concern to me.

Willaston and Rope councillor, Cllr Allen Gage (non-grouped) (Photo: CEC).

"I have lobbied local councillors to act and get a grip of this situation. It is also an insult to taxi drivers who are licensed locally and needs to be sorted out." 

advertisement

Willaston and Rope councillor, Cllr Allen Gage (Independent), who ecently quit the Conservative Party, is urging Cheshire East to regain as much taxi enforcement control as possible.

Cllr Gage told Nub News: "I have been drafting a Notice of Motion on this issue and a neighbouring councillor put Mrs Shaw in touch with myself.

"Speaking to Vicky was refreshing, she backed up her concerns with legitimate solutions to locally address the issue which I have included in my notice of motion.

"A small but growing number of councils have used legal legislation to gain enforcement control over out of borough operators to protect their residents - Cheshire East needs to follow suit. 

"Local councils have strong powers to suspend a license at their sole discretion should any concern arise; however, this is not currently possible with out-of-borough operators and makes a mockery of the system.

"The long-term solution, which I am urging Cheshire East colleagues to support, is for national government to close the out of borough operation loophole as recommended by Baroness Casey in her child grooming report - this has so far gone unheeded. 

"Until then the council should pursue whatever powers it legally can to address the situation and regain as much enforcement control as it possibly can.

"Other councils that have endeavoured to do so have started to see results and I am urging colleagues to support this motion."

advertisement

READ MORE: Family pays tribute to 'devoted' father-of-four who died in Crewe crash.

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Crewe Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

Subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter email HERE - just click the 'SIGN UP' button.

Please consider following Crewe Nub News on Facebook or Twitter.