An Aberdeen taxi driver has hit out at the council after failing his latest inspection due to having no tyre foam – even though it was in the car.
Gary Mundie has worked as a taxi driver for the past 23 years and gets his car inspected by the council every six months.
This is the first time the vehicle has ever failed the test.
“I took it in this morning and was told it was a failure because I did not have tyre foam,” he said. “I had a look when I got home and I found it in a box in the car.
“The car has only been on the road six months and passed with no issues last time. The car is safe to drive but now it has to be off the road until I can re-sit the test.”
Aberdeen driver forced to re-sit taxi inspection test
The earliest Gary can book the car back in is on Friday which means he is unable to work for two days.
He will miss out on wages during this time but will still have to pay his fees towards the taxi firm he works with.
He has also had to fork out for another inspection test.
“It was going to be a busy couple of days for me because of the Premier League Darts event being in Aberdeen,” he added. “So, this will have a big impact.”
Gary has been back in touch with the relevant department at Aberdeen City Council about the tyre foam being in the car but is yet to hear back from them.
The tyre testing manual, dated July 2018, on the council’s website states a breakdown kit “with sealant liquid” must be present in the car if there is no spare wheel.
“If I have a puncture, I’ll call AA and get it fixed,” Gary said. “I don’t use the tyre foam but it was there during the inspection.
“I don’t think it should be an automatic fail if it’s not there. It should just be an advisory, something you’re told to make sure you have in the car.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “Any driver who experiences a failed taxi inspection can make representations onsite prior to leaving the testing site.
“The taxi testing manual is a publicly available document. We are unable to comment on individual drivers’ circumstances.”
