TAXI drivers are frequently hiding potentially serious criminal and motoring convictions for up to three years while continuing to operate in Worcester.

Councillors have now been forced to introduce new penalties to deal with the growing problem of cabbies failing to report criminal convictions to the city council within seven days – a basic condition of their licences.

All taxi drivers are Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and DVLA-checked by the council before receiving their licences, and again when their licences are renewed every three years.

But in between renewal dates, the council has to rely on the drivers to notify them of any convictions – and they are regularly failing to do so.

The full scale of the problem is unknown, as the council says data protection laws mean it has to destroy all CRB records once a licence has been issued.

But councillors who sit on the licence renewal sub-committees – which decide in private whether a driver with convictions should still be allowed to work – have made it clear the rules are regularly being flaunted.

Speaking at a meeting of the full licensing committee, council solicitor Wendy Rushton said: “Only a small minority of drivers come to the attention of the sub-committee.

“But within this small minority, a large number have failed to comply with this rule.

“The effect is that drivers in these few cases are driving around Worcester with convictions for up to three years – and in some cases these would lead to serious concerns among members and the revocation of their licence.”

A report by environmental health officer Martin Gillies stated that “almost without exception”, drivers appearing before the sub-committee had failed to notify the council of convictions.

Councillor Gareth Jones described the situation as “abysmal”, while several members suggested a key part of the problem was that many taxi drivers have failed to read the council’s rule book explaining their responsibilities.

Councillor Mike Layland said: “It’s come before us so often. Drivers come before these sub-committees and are asked, ‘have you read the handbook?’ And it is obvious that they have not.”

The committee resolved that any taxi driver who has failed to report a conviction will be forced to re-take their licence test within three months, and only granted a one-year licence if they pass.

Councillor Roger Knight, the cabinet member who deals with taxi issues, said: “I fully support this measure. We need to get this across that we are taking this issue seriously.

“If they commit a crime sufficiently serious, then they will have their licence revoked.”

No one from the Worcester Taxis Drivers’ Association was available to comment.

* Your Worcester News was the only member of the media to attend this meeting.