A taxi driver who was spotted wearing a Rangers football strip while parked illegally on zig-zag lines has been refused a licence renewal by North Ayrshire Council.
The driver, Gareth Wilkinson, had applied to renew both his taxi driver’s licence and his private hire vehicle licence. However, councillors voted unanimously to reject his application after he failed to attend a licensing committee meeting to explain his actions.
Rangers Shirt and Zig-Zag Stop Raise Concerns
Police Scotland told the committee that on 2 September 2024, Mr Wilkinson was found parked on zig-zag lines in Dalry while “sounding his horn.” When officers approached, they discovered the vehicle was uninsured and subsequently removed from the road.
At the time of the incident, Mr Wilkinson was wearing a Rangers football shirt and was not displaying his taxi driver identification badge.
Councillor Cameron Inglis said the driver’s behaviour was “well out of the law and also our own policy,” adding:
“The wearing of a football top annoyed me most. I think as soon as you put that on you are looking to antagonise people, especially if you are working in a public role.”
Committee Rejects Licence Renewal
Committee chair Eleanor Collier highlighted the seriousness of the offences, stating:
“Driving a taxi without insurance is a serious offence. Wearing a football top is way out of the dress code, and not having valid ID is contrary to our policy.”
The committee noted that Mr Wilkinson had been given two opportunities to attend the hearing and explain his actions but chose not to.
A motion to refuse both his taxi and private hire licences was passed unanimously.
Source: Daily Record
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