Cabbie fined for crossing blunder

Jul 13 2006 By Justine Halifax, Birmingham Mail

A TAXI driver who ignored a lollipop lady on a crossing and put schoolchildren's lives at risk has been fined.

Staffordshire County Council is now warning other drivers they will face the same action if they follow suit.

Stafford magistrates heard the incident happened at a busy crossing at the junction of Wolgarston Way and Cannock Road, in Penkridge, in November.

Chris Marston, prosecuting, said the crossing for children at Wolgarston High School was staffed by two crossing patrol wardens.

Linda Hackett told the court she was wearing a yellow fluorescent jacket and carrying her crossing patrol sign when she stepped into the road to escort children across.

"I got into the middle of the road. One car stopped, but the taxi driver just carried on."

Mrs Hackett added that she took a partial note of the registration number of a silver Ford Mondeo taxi.

Driver Alan Jones, 48, of School Lane, Wolverhampton, denied careless driving, but magistrates returned a guilty verdict.

The self-employed driver with Central Taxis claimed his vision was partly obscured by a badge and a list of by-laws attached to his windscreen.

Magistrate Mrs Wilson-Weaver said: "The Bench feels that he was truthful in his account of events as he remembers it. But we feel his driving fell below that of a reasonable and prudent driver."

Jones was fined £150 and ordered to pay £250 court costs. and had three peanlty points added to his licence.

Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for children and lifelong learning, Coun Robert Simpson, said after the court hearing in Stafford:

"We expect motorists to abide by the instruction of patrol officers, and we take it extremely seriously if anyone fail to do so."

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