Half of heavy goods vehicles are not fit to be driven on the island’s roads, according to an official report.

In December 2005, 13-year-old James Berry tragically died while out cycling in Greeba when he was hit by a road wheel that became detached from a moving lorry.

The outgoing chairman of the Road Transport Licensing Committee Keith Watterson believes only luck has prevented other serious or fatal injuries since then - although accidents are still happening.

In his foreword to the RTLC’s latest annual report, Mr Watterson notes: ’I believe that up to 50 per cent of HGVs are not roadworthy at any one time despite having an annual MoT style test.

’Some operators do very few, if any, safety checks for the rest of the year.’

The RTLC is pushing for licensing of HGVS which are currently unregulated. Provision for this is included in the 2001 Road Transport Act but has never been implemented.

The RTLC also highlights some serious concerns about the condition of some island taxis.

Its report reveals that a minority of ply for hire taxis and private cab operators continue to use vehicles more than 10 years old, some with very high mileages.

Some 63 public passenger vehicles (PPVs) failed their annual test or attracted a prohibition notice during the year. The majority of these were taxis but some mini-buses also failed.

The report also reveals some 21 different PPV drivers or operators - bus drivers as well as taxi drivers - were invited to meetings to explain why they had been convicted of a wide variety of offences. Some offences were driving-related such as speeding while others involved criminal convictions or cautions.

Some were applicants for new PPV licences whose cautions or convictions had been brought to the RTLC’s attention while others had committed offences during the term of their licence.

While some had informed the committee of their convictions as, most did not.

In addition, the RTLC held formal inquiries which resulted in one PPV driver having his licence suspended and another having their licence revoked. The committee says it has been in discussion with the DoI over steps to tighten regulation of the island’s taxi trade.

This will take into account actions taken by other licensing authorities in the wake of the sex grooming scandal in Rotherham.

Its report also says there are continuing complaints from the public about the standard of customer care given by a small minority of taxi drivers picking passengers up from Ronaldsway airport.

’The issue is one example of the need to strengthen regulations and the penalties that can be imposed,’ it says.

The maximum fares allowed for ply-for-hire taxis rose in April.