Taxi Driver Online

Private Hire drivers 'stung' in police operation against illegal trade


THREE private hire drivers have been fined after plying for trade on the streets in Stoke-on-Trent.

They were arrested as part of a joint operation between Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police in Hanley on the evening of July 30 last year.

Prosecutor Trevor Vernon, representing the city council, yesterday told North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court in Newcastle that private hire drivers can only pick up a pre-booked fare, whereas hackney carriage drivers can be flagged down in the street.

Mr Vernon said undercover officers got into Patrick Dickman's private hire vehicle in Trinity Street, Hanley, in the early hours of July 31.

"They asked if he was booked. He replied 'No' and they asked him to take them on a journey," said Mr Vernon.

Dickman, aged 45, of Badgers Croft, Red Street, Chesterton, pleaded guilty to driving a carriage or plying for hire when not licensed as a public hackney carriage.

The father-of-three, a licensed private hire driver with Newcastle Borough Council, was fined £130 and ordered to pay £180 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Alison Downs, mitigating, said Dickman, of previous good character, had been under a lot of stress.

She said: "Quite a lot of taxi drivers were stung in the operation that evening."

Atta Mohammed, aged 34, of Dibden Court, Honeywall, Stoke, a licensed private hire driver with the city council, took two undercover officers to Etruria's Moat House Hotel.

He pleaded guilty to plying for hire without a hackney carriage licence and was fined £145 with £180 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Miss Downs said: "When approached he said he was free, they got in and the rest is history. Money was tight, he saw a fare, he took the business.

"Some evenings drivers can be sat around waiting for a fare for three hours."

And Mohammed Pervez, aged 36, of Suffolk Road, Lightwood, also pleaded guilty to plying hire without a hackney carriage licence on July 30.

Officers asked him if he was booked. He said he wasn't so they asked him to take them to the Borough Arms, Newcastle.

The married father-of-five was fined £150 with £180 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Councillor Joy Garner, who chairs the city council's licensing and registration panel, said the authority is determined to stamp out plying for hire among the city's 1,400 private hire drivers.

She said: "This is taking trade away from our 153 hackney carriage drivers, who invest a lot of money in their purpose-built cars and ensuring they are fully compliant with licence conditions.

"We are targeting the plying for hire blackspots in Transport Lane, Longton; Tower Square, Tunstall; Trinity Street, Hanley; and Pickford Place, Meir.

"Private hire drivers who repeatedly loiter there are summoned to appear before my panel, where they can have their licences suspended."

source: http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I'm shocked at the low level of the fines.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The way the trade is at the minute that could be a Saturday nights takings

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

No IN10's for no insurance?? There's a lad round here who didn't renew his badge last year and was still driving, the Council found out and took his pants down, 35 offences of driving without insurance, he was fined nearly £700 and banned from driving for 1 year.

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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Believe me, don't get Mercury X2

Based on income.

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IDFIMH

I dont really think income comes into it,it goes from magistrate whatever sort of day there having.

I think you might find the chap from sussex may know a little more than yourself.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

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IDFIMH

The fine is based on the drivers' earnings.... that is why they are asked to provide proof of earnings.... I thought everybody knew that

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

id get a rebate then.....whooohoooo

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

How is this so then ?I have been to court on plenty of things, and never provided proof of income.

TBH, given this weeks performance in front of the select committee, and the strong liklihood of nationwide national legistlation, I think the most pertinant thing you can tell people in Blackpool is actually to join a national body that will fight their corner.

That isnt the mob you lot are currently attached to either.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Okay I am a hackney and as such I generally have no sympathy with P.Hs!

But! is it not about time that the authorities took on board the fact of life that the companies that charge them to find work do not have enough work for them, and that is the main reason for the drivers doing what they are doing!

To stop them (the companies) just taking on drivers to line their own pockets regardless, companies should be made (as a condition of license), to justify, taking on additional drivers by proving that they can give them at least a liverable income for each driver @ a 40 hour working week.

If the P.Hs get caught after that, then throw the book at them.

If the companies disregard the rules....shut them down.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

If you don't provide proof of income, you tend to get shafted when it comes to a fine.....

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Every PH drivers dream. Let the companies prove they have the work available for the drivers they take the money from You're quite right tho the vast manority of pirates are doing it because they are sitting around waiting for work

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!