Sydney taxis fail safety checks in police sting

Around one in six Sydney taxis inspected during a police inspection have failed safety checks that uncovered faulty seatbelts, bald tyres and other defects.

Defect notices were issued for nine of 53 cabs inspected during a "compliance operation" in central Sydney on Tuesday.

Safety issues included "faulty seatbelts, internal security cameras and boot-locking mechanisms, as well as bald tyres," police said.

Seven infringement notices were also handed to drivers for using a mobile phone while driving, not displaying documents from authorities and not wearing approved uniforms.

During the four-hour sting, taxis in Kings Cross and Darlinghurst were diverted to an inspection site at Wooloomooloo.

"It's very disturbing to police and our partner agencies in this operation to have identified nine taxis with serious vehicle defects," Police Transport Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Darren Bennett said.

In December a similar blitz was conducted and defect notices were issued to 21 of 31 taxis inspected.