LIMO COMPANY LICENCE SUSPENDED

A Broadstairs limousine company has had its licence suspended after 15 women were crammed into a limousine only licenced for eight passengers.

Chapel Hill Limousines was licenced by the council in July 2009 for 12 months. David Crow (41) from Stone Road, Broadstairs, was granted the operator licence and was also granted a private hire vehicle driver's licence in June 2009, which was valid for 12 months. The licence covered a white Ford Excursion stretch limo to take up to eight passengers.

In January 2010, the council's Licensing Department received a complaint from a member of the public that 15 women had booked two limousines with Chapel Hill to take them on a shopping trip to Harrods in London in December 2009. Only one limousine arrived at the pick-up point.

The driver, Mr. Crow, told them that only one vehicle would be taking them and all 15 were taken to London and back in one vehicle.

There were not sufficient seats or seatbelts in the vehicle, with some of the women having to sit on the floor. In particular, one woman described how four of them sat on the floor in the rear of the vehicle. It was so uncomfortable that they had to stop at Farthing Corner Services on the M2. She moved to the front of the vehicle beside the driver, but again had to sit on the floor because there was no seat.

Booking records were obtained from Chapel Hill Limos and photographs taken of the vehicle. Mr. Crow was interviewed under caution and confirmed that he was the driver and that the booking records were not up-to-date. If the vehicle had been involved in an accident, any insurance covering the vehicle would have been invalid.

As a result, both the operator and driver licences were suspended by the council on 28 January 2010. This was subject to a right of appeal to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days, which has now expired.

Cllr. John Kirby, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Ramsgate Marina, said: "This is a case where the council had no choice but to take action. It's no overstatement to say that people's lives were potentially being put at risk here. There can be no excuse for taking passengers in a car where they don't have enough seats or seatbelts. Imagine what could have happened had there been an accident. The consequences are too terrible to consider."