FIT AND PROPER
EDINBURGH TAXI TRADE OUTRAGED BY LENIENT BAN FOR DRIVER LINKED TO CANNABIS FARM
The Edinburgh taxi community has expressed its anger at the ‘lenient’ one month ban given to a private hire driver who owns a property where a cannabis farm was discovered. Muhammad Umar, who was convicted in 2024 for his role as a landlord of a flat housing a £40,000 cannabis farm, also has a record for careless driving after he was caught speeding on the wrong side of the road to skip a red light queue, later telling police he “did not want to wait.” At last month’s licensing meeting, despite Police Scotland’s recom- mendation that his licence be revoked entirely, city councillors opted for a brief 30-day ban. The decision has sparked a
backlash from industry leaders who argue it damages the reputation of the trade. The Association of Hackney Carriage Drivers stated the move “undermines” the hard work of professional drivers, adding: “This decision has left an extremely bad taste in the mouths of many honest, law-abiding members of our industry. “It’s particularly frustrating when the committee appears not to have learned from the intense scrutiny and criticism surrounding the last ill-advised decision it made.” The group warned that public confidence in the licensing system depends on “robust decision- making,” particularly when public safety is at stake.
Unite the Union also weighed in questioning how Mr. Umar could still be considered a “fit and proper person” to hold a licence. Secretary Keith Auld expressed a “growing feeling of uncertainty,” asking for clarification on how the committee determines who is suitable to drive the public. Defending the decision, Licensing Sub-Committee Convener, Cllr Joanna Mowat, explained that the board must meet specific legal requirements to
permanently
remove a licence. She noted that the committee considered the “time elapsed since the offence” and “behaviour since the offence” before deciding that a one-month suspension was the appropriate response.
PHTM APRIL 2026
25
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