Scarborough driver with 9 points granted taxi licence

Bradley Easton has set up Eastfield Cars with a business partner and wants to start driving for his company.

However, his application for a dual driver’s licence was referred to Scarborough Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee today due to the fact he had nine penalty points on his licence from three offences in 2016 and 2017.

Mr Easton told the committee that six of the points were the result of misinformation supplied to him.

He said: “I started work for a company and they added me to the insurance but didn’t tell me you had to drive at 10mph below the speed limit in a commercial van.”

Mr Easton was caught twice in the space of one month on the A64 travelling above the speed limit for commercial vehicles on a dual carriageway.

He told the councillors that as the enforcement letters were sent to the company he was not informed of the first offence at the time of getting the second penalty.

Mr Easton added that by the time he was informed of the second offence by his employers it was too late for him to take a speed awareness course that would have negated him getting three of the points.

The final offence, in 2017, he admitted was an error on his part of not knowing the road he was on had a 30mph limit and was not 40mph.

He added: “My partner is currently driving for the business himself and is knackered, to be honest.

“If granted the licence we also hope to take on two part-time drivers to grow the business. We want to give something back to the community in Eastfield.”

Eastfield ward councillor Tony Randerson (Lab) spoke on Mr Easton’s behalf at the hearing.

He said: “I have known Mr Easton for a number of years and can speak for his honesty and his integrity.

“He is trying to give the people of Eastfield something they have not had before with this taxi service and the reviews I have heard so far have been very good.

“I have told him that now I have vouched for him I do not like being let down and I’m sure he won’t do that.”

The committee granted his application but warned Mr Easton about his responsibilities going forward.