FIT AND PROPER SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS MAN FINED
FOR UNLICENSED PICK UP OUTSIDE CLUB
A Highlands driver has been fined £220 after admitting to operating an unlicensed taxi service. Thomas Swan, 53, from Thurso, picked up a passenger outside a nightclub and drove him seven miles to Halkirk, Wick Sheriff Court
heard on 4 February. Swan admitted to making his car available for hire without the required taxi operator’s licence. Sheriff Neil Wilson was told that police officers witnessed a man entering Swan’s vehicle, which was
parked near the nightclub Officers followed the vehicle to Halkirk and spoke to
the
passenger who said he had paid the accused £10 for the journey. Swan was subsequently charged and admitted to the offence.
PH DRIVER TO PAY £1,600 FOR ILLEGAL PLYING AT READING FESTIVAL
A TfL-licensed private hire driver has been ordered to pay £1,603 after being caught illegally plying for hire at Reading Festival. Hammad Ashraf Khan Manj, from Slough, offered a ride to a train station from near the festival site on Tessa Road. Unbeknown to him,
his potential customers were undercover licensing officers con- ducting a joint operation between Reading BCl, South Oxon DC and Fareham BC. The incident took place on Friday, 23 August, the first main day of the festival. He initially denied the
charges during questioning but later pleaded guilty to plying for hire at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, 7 February. The court fined Manj £576 for the offence. He was also ordered to pay £800 costs and £230 victim sur- charge, bringing the total to £1,603.
NORTH AYRSHIRE TAXI DRIVER REPRIMANDED FOR VAPING IN CAB ON HIS DAY OFF
A North Ayrshire taxi driver has been caught vaping in his vehicle while off-duty. David McComb was observed by a licensing officer vaping in his vehicle in December. The licensing officer said. “At the
time Mr McComb was alone in the vehicle holding a cigarette or vaping device with the driver’s window half down.” McComb, who was later located at the Stevenston Cross rank, where
MK PH DRIVER FINED & POINTS FOR ILLEGAL TYRE AND NO INSURANCE
A MK PH driver has been fined £760 and received six penalty points after being caught driving an unlicensed vehicle with an illegal tyre as well as no insurance. Kashif Iftikhar Butt pleaded guilty at MK Magistrates’ Court following investigation by Taxi Enforcement. Butt’s illegal tyre was initially
50
spotted outside MK Central station last May, leading to the suspension of his taxi licence. Despite this, he continued to operate the vehicle without replacing the faulty tyre, and was subsequently caught again. The fine included a £160 victim surcharge.
he said he was not working at the time but collecting weekend takings from previous hires. He added it was his normal practice to vape in the vehicle and he used flavoured oils as he believed the smell did not offend his customers. He said he was unaware the rules related to smoking were in force regardless of whether or not the vehicle was being used as a taxi.” Mr McComb has held a licence since 2009 with no prior com- plaints. The licensing committee reminded him of the rules and stressed that taxi drivers are prohibited from smoking in their vehicles, regardless of whether they are on or off duty. The committee voted in favour of issuing a formal written warning.
MARCH 2025 PHTM
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