FIT AND PROPER
100MPH GLASGOW DRIVER HANDED PRIVATE HIRE LICENCE DESPITE SECOND CONVICTION
A driver fined after he was caught “exceeding 100mph” - his second speeding conviction - has been handed a private hire licence. Glasgow’s licensing committee warned Mohsan Safdar over his future behaviour but granted a licence – despite an objection from Police Scotland, which will run for a period of one year rather than the three years requested. Police said Mr Safdar had been accused of driving “a motor vehicle dangerously” and travelling over 100mph” in June last year. He was also alleged to have “failed to maintain control of the car” and
“failed to maintain a safe braking distance from another vehicle”. The police officer said Mr Sabdar was found guilty on June 6 this year and fined £720 and his licence was endorsed with six points. The driver now has nine points on his licence after a previous incident in 2021, where he said he had driven at 60pmh in a 50mph zone. Mr Safdar told councillors there was “no excuse for my actions”. He said he had been running late which “caused me to make a regrettable decision to speed”. Mr Safdar said he has “now firmly learnt my lesson given that my job
was on the line, my livelihood”. Cllr Zen Ghani said it was “disappointing” the applicant had allowed it to happen twice. “I would have expected you to learn your lesson.”
Bailie Thomas Kerr said: “I am concerned, mainly because it’s two incidents and there are customers who may be running late. Can you assure us if someone is in the back of the car screaming at you to get to this place, that you won’t speed? Mr Safdar said: “There’s
no
situation that would ever lead me to speed in the future, it’s just not worth it.”
BLACKPOOL CABBIE HAS LICENCE STRIPPED OVER ALLEGED TRANSPHOBIC AND HOMOPHOBIC VIEWS
A Blackpool cabbie has been stripped of their licence following claims they made transphobic and homophobic remarks in front of passengers. The cabbie is also said to have pressed their religious views on passengers. The driver, who had had previous warnings over their behaviour, had their licence revoked following a town hall hearing. Minutes from a meeting of Blackpool Council’s public protection sub-committee held on April 25, say complaints had been received in October last year and again in April this year. Verbal and written warnings were issued but the driver was brought before the sub-committee following the latest complaint. According to the minutes, the driver “expressed transphobic and
PHTM JULY 2023
homophobic views”. They also “had handed out religious literature and had signage within their vehicle expressing their faith. The complainant had described feeling distressed and expressed “concern for their own and others’ safety”.
But the driver, who was represented by a member of the Blackpool Licensed TOA, denied causing any offence from their remarks in October 2022 and had no recollection of the alleged comments from April. According to the minutes, signage expressing religious views had been removed and the driver “had ceased handing out religious literature following their verbal warning”. They felt some reaction to their views had been positive, and said the second complaint was
‘malicious’. The hearing also heard of good conduct by the driver who had previously received a Blackpool Taxi Driver of Year medal. But after considering the evidence, councillors felt the nature of the complaints meant the driver was “not a fit and proper person to hold a licence and therefore agreed that the licence be revoked”.
At the same meeting, another driver was refused a taxi licence after evidence showed they were suffering from heart failure. Another driver was granted a licence subject to a severe warning letter after failing to
disclose
previous convictions which included setting off an emergency alarm on a train “without reasonable cause” after realising they were on the wrong train.
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