Police have vowed to take tough action against private hire and taxi drivers whose vehicles are unsafe after several were suspended from duty for having tyres with insufficient tread.

Nine drivers were immediately suspended – almost 30 per cent – after police and Bradford Council licensing officers checked 33 private hire and hackney carriage vehicles in the Tong and Wyke area.

The checks were carried out last weekend ahead of the busiest time of the year for the trade. The suspensions were mainly for having tyres with insufficient tread. Others were suspended for not carrying the correct paperwork in their vehicles.

Six advisory notices were issued, requiring defects to be rectified within a certain amount of time.

Four endorsable fixed penalty notices, with three penalty points and a £60 fine, were issued for having tyres with insufficient tread.

Sergeant Brian Watson, of the Tong and Wyke Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “It is important that we ensure all vehicles in Bradford are fully roadworthy and legally fit to be travelling.

“This is a particularly poignant message at a time of year when conditions can often be difficult to negotiate.

“In this latest joint operation with Bradford Council Hackney Licensing Officers, we focused on private hire and hackney carriage vehicles.

“Officers noticed that many of the cars stopped had insufficient tyre tread and a number of drivers were immediately suspended from duty.

In Bradford all Hackney Carriages are white vehicles with a green stripe on the front doors. Fares do not need to be pre-booked.

Private hire minicabs can be any suitable vehicles, but must display registration badges. They can only carry passengers who have booked fares in advance through the firm’s office.