Taxi Driver Online

Peterborough taxi firm boss fined by court

A Peterborough taxi operator and his driver had to pay more than £2,000 after it was discovered that the driver was working without a private hire licence or insurance.

Ali Asghar (51) of Burghley Road, Peterborough, operator of 3 Star Ambassador taxis was fined £750 for operating a private hire vehicle with an unlicensed driver and failing to keep records in accordance with council conditions after licensing officers found driver Irfan Mehmood (37) of Clarence Road, behind the wheel of a private hire vehicle.

Peterborough Magistrates Court heard that during an operation in July 2012, police and city council Licensing officers were parked in Ash Road, Dogsthorpe preparing to carry out stop checks on private hire vehicles when they saw Irfan Mehmood drive past in a 3 Star Ambassador private hire vehicle. The Licensing officer did not initially recognise Mehmood as a licensed driver so decided to follow the vehicle into nearby Ash Close.

The officers then witnessed the driver knock at a door and after a brief conversation with the occupant, return to his vehicle. After watching for a few minutes the officers approached Mehmood and on speaking to him confirmed he was not a licensed taxi driver and had been booked to take passengers to Northampton.

Officers then attended 3 Star Ambassadors office in Searjeant Street to confirm the driver was answering a request for a booking. When they arrived at the office they caught another member of staff tearing the relevant pages from the record book and trying to hide them. The staff member was arrested and later cautioned.

At the court hearing last week, Mehmood was fined £210 for driving a private hire vehicle without a licence and after receiving six points for having no insurance, he was disqualified from driving for six months. In addition he was ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Asghar was fined £750 for operating a private hire vehicle with an unlicensed driver and failing to keep records in accordance with council conditions. In addition he was ordered to pay £750 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Councillor Peter Hiller, Cabinet Member for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Planning, said: “These joint operations with the Police are successful in preventing to prevent those involved in the taxi trade from acting unlawfully and assist in educating the trade and public. If a private hire driver does not hold the appropriate licence then he has not been subjected to criminal record, DVLA or medical checks. In essence, we wouldn’t be assured that the driver is suitable or fit to carry the public. The driver could have previous convictions, placing members of the public in danger. In addition, as the driver did not hold the appropriate licence, the insurance for that journey was invalid.

“Many private hire companies and their drivers carry out their trade lawfully and condemn the few that bring the trade into disrepute. All legitimately licensed drivers are required by law to wear their private hire or Hackney driver’s badge and the vehicles display a council plate on the rear.”

Police Sergeant Nikki Hall said: “We carry out these operations to address concerns about illegal practices and to ensure that the public are safe when travelling in our private hire and hackney vehicles.

“In this case, the driver has been successfully convicted for working without a private hire licence and insurance.

“It sends a clear message that this behaviour is not acceptable and those caught flouting the law will be punished.”

A decision will now be made concerning Asghar’s licence to operate the business.

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IDFIMH

wow a rarity one actually getting caught it is standard practice in Peterborough and Stamford for unlicensed drivers to be put into cars on a Sunday night to learn the roads

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Aint yer got a camera

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

he went to get one......from Jessops...

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

They are always well protected by their cousins uncles etc etc. and I have better things to do than spend sunday nights staking out the station besides I do not know the faces of every single licensed driver

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector