As the Isle of Wight Festival begins, Islanders are being warned about the consequences of using or operating ‘illegal taxis’ over the course of the weekend.
With thousands of Islanders and mainland visitors alike heading to Seaclose Park this weekend, it can be tempting for some to offer lifts to revellers in exchange for a fee. Hampshire Constabulary, however, is warning of the legal dangers that face Islanders operating ‘illegal taxi’ services.
Warnings have also been issued to those heading to the Festival site to only use licensed and authorised taxi firms and not to engage with third-party lift sharing schemes of paying other people for a lift.
Superintendent Clare Jenkins says that by using their own private vehicle as a ‘taxi’, Islanders could face having their vehicle seized. She says:
“We would urge all of those attending the Isle of Wight Festival this weekend and who are planning to utilise taxis to get to the venue – only use reputable, licensed taxi firms.
“While those thinking of participating in third-party lift sharing schemes or paying other people unknown to them for a lift – we would strongly advise against it. As in doing so, the driver of the vehicle could be committing an offence if they do not have the correct or relevant insurance i.e. business insurance – as they would be carrying passengers for a fee.
“As a result, they could be issued with a fine, points on their driving licence (including the registered keeper of the car even if they weren’t driving) and possible seizure of the car with the associated costs.
“Please consider in advance how you plan to arrive at the festival and if you are using public transport, please use only reputable, reliable local taxi companies or local buses. We want to keep as many of you, and other roads users, safe during your stay on the Island for the festival this weekend.”
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If you’d like to find a taxi for travel to and from the Isle of Wight Festival, find services on the Island Echo Business Directory.
Perhaps if Southern Vectis hadn’t doubled the prices of its bus service on all the routes to/ passing the Festival site unregulated Taxis wouldn’t be an issue?
I’ve had to do deliveries in and around Newport these past 2 days, would be quicker to walk to the site.
After complaining about the extortionate fares to the festival site I was told that the festival buses are run on a contract to the iw festival and its the festival organisers that set out the rules and fares within the contract and the bus operator only gets a small percentage of the fare about £1.50 the rest goes to who ever runs the show at the festival. I would rather walk the short distance
Isn’t that profiteering and therefore illegal? Report them then….. if it’s true.
If that’s what they’ve really done, then good for them! Maybe, just maybe, they are trying to protect us locals by putting off festival goers wanting to use the normal buses to get to the festival. We, after all, are the people who use the bus services all year and not just for a once yearly event like this. I’d like to think they are trying to keep us safe from any virus bringing non mask wearing visitors.
The same people will be out offering lifts at Ryde pier, as every year, never see any fines???
Who in their right mind would give a lift to somebody going to the festival?
Well, rocket Ron, how about somebody who are skint and can’t afford Christmas presents this year for there children and are feeling the effects of fuel poverty and other tax rises or cuts in benefits for example !
Take cash and don’t tell anyone what your doing .
if someone chooses of their own free will, to offer a lift to someone, then that is their right to do so. If that person offers to cover the cost of the fuel, as a thank you, then that is up to them.
that is a private arrangement between two individuals and the police should stop poking there noses into what two people decide to do. Fed up with these nosey jobsworths acting like commie overlords.
How about they focus on actual crime – you know locking up burglars and actually having a presence on the streets to remove the junkie alco jobless layabouts that hang around begging and annoying everyone all day long.
Absolutely spot on … I’m not going this year but usually my son taxis me to and from the festival and I give him petrol money … police mind their own business and get on with the job they are paid to do!
Cant pick your mose these days without someone feeling outdone
Are they checking peoples vaccine status and testing before entry then, I think not, didn’t see any evidence of it up there either. Oh well Lockdown Lite, will be be Lockdown Heavy here come mid October. Still it’s the unvaccinated that will get it the worst this time.
wrong digby -more people are testing positive who have been vaccinated now, than unvaccinated.
between january and july of this year, over 7000 people died, after 21 days from the first jab and over 4000 21 days after the second jab – so it is not fool proof and you are just as likely to contract it and spread it, whether vaccinated or not.
see lates ONS report to back up the figures quoted.
How are non vaccinated people to protect themselves, that’s what I’d like to know. You can’t control other peoples reckless behaviour or people coming up too close and breathing all over you or talking loudly in your face, so how to protect yourself? I man people who live alone will still have to go out to buy their groceries, sometimes meaning a bus journey, so how to protect themselves?
Super spreader event