FIT AND PROPER
SEVEN STOKE-ON-TRENT TAXI DRIVERS HIT WITH HUGE FINES ‘FOR PUTTING PUBLIC AT RISK’
Seven Stoke-on-Trent taxi drivers have been fined after a police sting found they ‘put the public at risk’. The cabbies - aged between 22 and 49 years - all plied for trade without being booked in advance, which meant they were
not
adequately insured. They were caught out after an undercover council officer, purporting to be a member of the public, was able to climb into each cab as a passenger before being pulled over by a roads policing vehicle at a nearby check-point. It was then demonstrated that the driver was operating illegally
during the sting, which took place between 10.30pm and 11.50pm on November 26 last year. The drivers, who have not been named but are all from Stoke-on- Trent, appeared at North Stafford- shire Justice Centre in March. They were convicted and each handed six penalty points on their licence and a fine of between £700 and £1,200. They have also each been referred to the relevant council’s taxi licensing committee for a decision over whether they are allowed to continue to work as drivers. Staffordshire Police ran the
operation alongside teams from Stafford BC, Newcastle-Under- Lyme BC, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the DVSA. Speaking after the case, PC Martin Randle, from the Road Policing Team who organised the operation, said: “This was a lengthy case that involved multiple individuals who were found to have put the public at risk by driving without insurance. “Though we understand times are tough for a lot of people at the moment, it is not acceptable to put the public in danger and I’m pleased the drivers admitted their offending in court.”
READING PH DRIVER FINED NEARLY £2,000 AND GIVEN SIX POINTS FOR ILLEGALLY PLYING FOR HIRE
A Reading private hire driver has been fined nearly £2,000 and given six penalty points for illegally plying for hire. Sakhawat Mushtaq holds a private hire licence with Fareham BC and he committed a number of driving offences during the Henley Regatta last year. The 35-year-old has been found guilty of illegally plying for hire, driving without insurance, failing to wear his council-issued badge, and failing to display the council- issued vehicle plate. It follows a joint operation between Reading BC and South Oxfordshire DC licensing officers in July 2022. Officers from each council were patrolling on foot in Thameside, Henley during the Regatta. It was then that they witnessed a Blue Toyota Prius belonging to Mushtaq
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parked illegally outside the Relais Hotel on double yellow lines. One officer approached Mushtaq and asked for a trip to Reading Railway Station. Mushtaq confirmed he was available for the journey immediately for £40. Upon further investigation, it was found Mushtaq was licensed with Fareham Borough Council. As such, he was only insured to carry out pre-booked work through a licensed private hire operator and was not permitted to pick up passengers off the street without a booking in place. At Reading Magistrates Court on May 12, 2023, Mushtaq pleaded not guilty to three offences of illegally plying for hire, driving without insurance and failing to wear his council-issued badge. Mushtaq was convicted by
magistrates on four counts, and was hit with financial penalties of £3,744, including fines totalling £1,960. Six penalty points were also added to Mushtaq’s licence, and he was ordered to pay a £784 victim surcharge. Cllr John Ennis, Lead Member for Transport at Reading BC, said: “This is a great result thanks to the diligent work of the Reading licensing team and officers from South Oxfordshire DC. “Unfortunately, we do come across some PHV drivers who think they are above the rules and keen to make a quick profit, I hope the outcome of this case will deter any drivers from contravening the law. Such illegal activity will not be tolerated and our licensing officers will continue to maintain their vigilant enforcement activities.”
JULY 2023 PHTM
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