Unlicensed and Uninsured Private Hire

A private hire driver took a pupil to and from school in Ferryside in an unlicensed and uninsured vehicle for four months, Carmarthen magistrates have been told.

David Eurig Jones carried a young girl to Ferryside School between February and June in a private car after the minibus licensed for the schools contract was off the road for repairs.

Mr Jones, of Maes yr Eglwys, Llansaint, Kidwelly, was ordered to pay more than £1,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to offences of driving a private hire vehicle without a private hire licence, using a motor vehicle on the road without third party insurance, and being the owner of a vehicle, used it for private hire without the appropriate licence.

Andrew Rogers, prosecuting for Carmarthenshire County Council, said that last year between February 4 and June 23, Mr Jones used a personal vehicle, a Renault Espace people carrier, which was not licensed as a private hire vehicle, and 77-year-old Mr Jones himself did not have the appropriate private hire licence for that vehicle.

He said: “During those three to four months he transported a young girl back and for to Ferryside School on a schools contract. Following a check by the Environment Department’s Passenger Transport Unit, he was questioned and invited in for an interview by the Council’s Licensing Section. He made no attempt to deny the offences.

“He was only insured for social, domestic and pleasure, business use was not covered. During that time he was driving the vehicle without proper insurance.”

Kate Williams, for Mr Jones, said he fully accepted the offences. The firm, D E & E Jones, had the contract legitimately to start with.

“The vehicle they were supposed to use was a minibus. It had to go in to be repaired and this took longer than anticipated. They used the people carrier instead. That invalidated the insurance and they fully accept that,” she said.

The firm had 40 years worth of work with the council and there hadn’t been any problems before that. The contract specified the minibus as the vehicle and the firm should have informed the council about the situation so the vehicle on the contract could be changed.

“It was his own vehicle, which was adequate for the job. There was no issue relating to the safety of the vehicle, simply that it was not registered with the council. If he had applied I’m sure it would have been approved,” she added.

Mr Jones, who did not attend court, was fined £400 for using a motor vehicle on the road without third party insurance, and his clean driving licence was endorsed with six points, he was fined £265 for using his own vehicle as a private hire vehicle, and no separate penalty was imposed for driving a private hire vehicle without a licence. He was also ordered to pay costs of £391.42 and a £40 victim surcharge.

Executive board member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “The safety of the travelling public is of paramount importance and routine checks on drivers and vehicles are carried out to ensure that relevant legal and licensing conditions are complied with.”