York taxi drivers lose licences over conduct and driving

The council said a further ten drivers had been suspended on medical grounds

Nine taxi drivers in York have had their licences revoked this year, the council has confirmed.

Five drivers lost their licence in the city because of their driving ability, three for inappropriate conduct and one under the sexual category.

The sexual category could be based on sexual offences or relate to serious "sexual inappropriateness", the authority said.

A further ten drivers have been suspended for medical reasons.

The figures were included in a council report from the director of environment, transport and planning, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In addition to the figures for 2023, it revealed 12 licences were revoked in 2022, and four were refused, with reasons quoted as dishonesty, violence, sexual, driving, inappropriate conduct and medical.

The council's Licensing and Regulatory Committee asked Dave Kelway, taxi licensing manager for the authority, to clarify the sexual category.

"These are based on either sexual offences or information in relation to serious sexual inappropriateness," he said.

Mr Kelway also explained the fit and proper test taxi drivers were subject to before they could obtain a taxi driving licence in York.

"All applicants undertake a criminal records disclosure (DBS) to check for the existence and content of any criminal record, he said.

"Applicants are also checked against the National Refusal and Revocation, Suspension database."

He added applicants must all pass a safeguarding and knowledge test and a driving assessment and their vehicles would also be checked.

The committee was told 12 taxi drivers were also suspended for failing to complete a DBS requirement in 2022, but this number dropped to just two by September 2023.