Taxi drivers in Dundee have been warned they face £100 fines if they are caught with roof lights that do not comply with strict licensing conditions.
Lights fitted to the roofs of non-Hackney cabs must meet strict criteria regarding size.
In Dundee, they must have white light on the front and red at the back.
But while it is acceptable to have the name of the taxi firm printed on the rear side of the light, simply having the word “Taxi” on it is a breach of conditions.
Although many taxis previously passed inspections with lights that said “Taxi” on the rear, a clampdown on the practice by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has seen some drivers given on-the-spot fines for lights that do not comply.
Dundee Taxi Association chairman Graeme Stephen said: “A number of cars have been going down to the station for their tests and have been passed if they had ‘taxi’ on the back.
“But we have now been told that they are not allowed to have ‘taxi’ on the back, although they can have Tay Taxis, or Tele Taxis, or the name of the company.
“I phoned the council’s licensing department and they said it came from the DVSA.”
Taxi drivers have now been warned to change their lights or face being fined.
Mr Stephen said: “Playing devil’s advocate, the rules have been back on the taxi licence for a long time, but it’s something the council has never paid much attention to until now.
“It seems a bit heavy-handed although licence conditions are part of the SVQ test to drivers should know about them.
“But they could have just put out a letter to the taxi operators saying they need to make sure they comply with the conditions.”
Mr Stephen said it will be possible for some drivers to simply remove the letters from the lights but others made of moulded plastic may have to be changed.
One taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said: “There are still quite a few taxis on the road with the wrong lights.
“This should have been picked up when a new cab went on the road at the police test or any annual police test that the council do.
“It also shows someone’s not been doing their job as the terms and conditions are on the council website regarding taxi roof signs.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We have informed the local taxi trade about work DVSA is carrying out regarding taxi signs.”
The DVSA was asked to comment.
