More than 40 taxis were stopped by police and checked for defects in High Wycombe this week.

Thames Valley police teamed up with Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks District Council’s and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to carry out the checks on Monday, May 15.

In total, 46 private hire vehicles and 14 hackney carriage vehicles were stopped and checked to see if they were complying with road safety regulations and standards set by the council.

Three vehicles were given immediate prohibitions by VOSA for defects including faulty indicators and shock absorbers and a loose battery.

Four vehicles were given delayed prohibitions for cracked windscreens, worn tyres and seatbelt wear, which resulted in the drivers having their licences suspended by the council.

Thames Valley Police issued two defect rectification notices and slapped one driver with a fixed penalty notice for not wearing a seatbelt.

The councils dealt with 18 drivers for licensing offences, which included drivers not wearing ID badges, failing to display correct vehicle signage, having damaged vehicles and failing to have a fire extinguisher.

Drivers were given warnings and seven days to fix the problems identified or face further action.

PC Liz Johnson, Road Safety Officer for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, said: "This was a successful joint operation which removed a number of unsafe vehicles from the road.

"I would urge all drivers to check their tyres on a weekly basis and ask fare paying passengers to check that their driver has his licensing badge clearly visible."

Private hire vehicles in Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks are required to display exterior signage which includes a rear licensing plate that must be fixed to the outside rear of the vehicle, a front licensing plate to be displayed in the windscreen and side door stickers stating 'advanced bookings only'.

Private hire drivers and hackney carriage drivers are also required to wear their driver ID badge and this must be visible to passengers.

They are not allowed to smoke in their vehicles at any time and have to display 'no smoking' signs.