FENLAND: Councils pledge to work closer together to stamp out taxi contract breaches
TWO councils have pledged to work more closely together to stamp out unscrupulous operators and drivers involved in home to school taxi services. Fenland District Council said: As a result of the Cambs Times story last week highlighting issues wit
TWO councils have pledged to work more closely together to stamp out unscrupulous operators and drivers involved in home to school taxi services.
Fenland District Council said: "As a result of the Cambs Times story last week highlighting issues with Cambridgeshire County Council's education transport service, it became clear to us that some operators and drivers were playing fast and loose with the contract process and, as a result, we are assisting the county council to stamp out any breaches in the system.
"A number of unscrupulous operators and drivers have been failing to provide both councils with relevant information, giving legitimate honest operators a bad name.
"We have launched a joint targeted enforcement operation into all home to school transport providers. We will be leaving no stone unturned to make sure that all contractors operate within the law."
The county council said it was also keen to deal with any concerns parents may have about the transport service used by children.
A spokesman said: "Although it would be in appropriate to comment on specific cases, all parents who are served by the county council's transport services should be assured that the care and safety of our clients is of paramount importance to us. All complaints reported to us are investigated as a matter of urgency. In some instances it can be difficult to establish the true facts of a case but we will always err on the side of safety.
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"Since the issue of the Angel Taxis arose we have met with Fenland District Council as the licensing authority to determine how we can work even more closely together by sharing information and passing relevant alerts to each other.
"In the case of Angel Taxis we are in the process of reviewing all contracts held with them and will be terminating many of them by the end of the week once alternative arrangements can be made.
"Should any readers have any residual concerns over the transport aspects of the council's service to their children, they should contact the county council's transport department at Castle court 0845 045 5208 or email edtransport@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
