Dozens of warnings and notices were handed out to cabbies during an operation targeting defective taxis in Watford.

Police and Watford Borough Council licensing officers checked over more than 35 hackney carriages and private hire vehicles on Friday.

Officers issued a probation notice to one driver for serious defects - including a missing seatbelt - while new wheels were ordered for three other vehicles following safety concerns.

Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme (VDRS) notices were handed down to two drivers, with three cabbies hit with a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) - which could lead to a fine or a court summons.

Verbal warnings were also given to 35 drivers for issues such as bodywork damage, breaching licensing conditions and use offences.

Operation Vector was led by officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit.

PC Grant Duke said: "We are checking a large proportion of the taxis in across the county and generally have found them to be in good working order.

"The public trust taxi drivers and feel safe using their vehicles, so it’s vitally important to ensure that the vehicles are safe and are maintained to high standards. 

"These checks will hopefully encourage taxi drivers across the county to keep up these standards and make sure they comply with the law and the conditions of their licences."

Watford Borough Council stressed that taxi drivers were compliant with the checks.