Taxi driver loses licence over phone crash claims

Stockton Council's licensing committee ruled the driver was not a "fit and proper person" to drive a taxi

A taxi driver who a witness said was "looking at his phone" during a crash has been refused a renewed licence.

The driver, who was not identified, was not paying attention to the road as he collided with another car on Crooks Barn Lane, Norton, on 3 March, a hearing of Stockton Council's licensing committee heard.

The taxi driver had denied responsibility for the crash and blamed the other driver.

However, the committee refused to renew his hackney carriage and private hire licence, after deciding he was not a "fit and proper person" to be driving and had 10 DVLA penalty points.

The hearing heard the taxi driver blamed the other man for the crash, claiming he drove into his lane at speed as he came around a corner, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

He also denied being distracted, but admitted looking at a device to see where he needed to go.

The other driver said he was not speeding on Curlew Lane when the taxi driver hit the side of his vehicle.

He also said the taxi driver apologised and accepted the crash was his fault, but denied it later.

The man said the taxi driver was "clearly looking downwards as he turned the corner", appearing distracted and was "pressing something, possibly a map".

'Too many doubts'

David Wilson, representing the taxi driver, said he was "not distracted in any way" and was turning left while the other car was turning right, and both drivers denied being at fault.

Mr Wilson said his client denied using a device at the time, but did admit to two speeding offences in seven months.

The committee said the taxi driver "did not offer any mitigation in relation to the speeding offences that he accepted guilt for".

Minutes from the meeting said: "Members were not persuaded that the hackney carriage and private hire driver was a fit and proper person, as they found that they had too many doubts in relation to the matters of concern before them."