SPOT checks have been carried out on taxis and Hackney carriages.

Nine out of ten taxis checked in Hambleton on Wednesday were issued with defect notices.

Two of the nine were given immediate notices taking them off the road. One had no hand brake and defective steering and the other had a tyre that had no tread and the metal cords exposed.

The checks were carried out as part of a partnership between North Yorkshire Police, the Benefits Agency, the vehicle inspectorate, housing benefit staff and Hambleton District Council's taxi inspector.

Sergeant Andy Langford, of the road policing group, said: "These checks show an unfortunate trend in people who use their vehicles to carry out work and the dangers that passengers using taxis around town are in.

"I am pleased that the check has taken place and, hopefully, the message will get to other operators that we do spot checks and we have the power to take dangerous vehicles off the road.

"It is alarming that 90 per cent of taxis checked had some form of defect. The question has to be asked, when will they learn? This is not the first check we have carried out and still the lesson is not getting over."