THE North-East’s largest taxi firm has received a final warning for persistently flouting regulations over its minibus fleet.

Boro Taxis, based in Middlesbrough, was given a formal warning by the Traffic Commissioner at a public inquiry after receiving a catalogue of prohibition notices and fixed penalties for poorly-maintained vehicles and failing to log drivers’ hours clearly.

The hearing related to the company’s 15 minibuses but not its fleet of 750 taxis.

It is the firm’s second public inquiry in four years – and North-East traffic commissioner Kevin Rooney said that, had Boro Taxis not shown improvements in the last year, he would have revoked its licence to operate the minibuses.

He criticised owner Mohammed Bashir for not carrying out his assurance at the last public inquiry to replace his entire fleet with vehicles less than three years old.

Mr Rooney said: “Within a fortnight of making that statement you bought an 11-year-old vehicle.

“You made some statements at the last inquiry in 2011, a colleague of mine allowed you to carry on after those statements were made and you didn’t comply with them at all. As of 2012 you had no vehicles that were less than three years old.

“I have got a real issue of trust I need to overcome before I can let this continue.

“It is clear you have done a lot in the last 12 months but what I want to get a grip on... is if the instant you walk out of this door everything will collapse again.”

Official vehicle inspectors had found faults including bald tyres, faulty lights, and other  issues.

Tacograph records of drivers’ working hours were unclear, with many miles not accounted for, but Boro said this was due to drivers using the vehicles for personal use, and technical issues.

In the last year, the firm had been taking advice from the Freight Transport Association and had made huge improvements, the inquiry heard.

Mr Rooney said Boro Taxis would have to undergo an audit in six months, followed by annual audits, and it would have to keep diaries of  drivers’ private mileage.

After the hearing,  a Boro Taxis spokesman said the issues raised were from checks made more than 18 months ago and “significant” investments had been made in training, systems and regular audits since then.

He said: “We are pleased that during the hearing the Commissioner acknowledged the improvements that we have made in the last 12 months and also praised us for carrying out criminal record checks on our drivers, who drive mini buses with more than eight seats, although we are not legally obliged to. Looking to the future, we are committed to maintaining the highest of standards.”