Taxi Driver Online

(This article is about a month old, but seems relevant enough to still be of interest.)

South Shields firm Redline Taxis fined for failing to declare previously-banned driver as a director

Redline Taxis of South Shields applied for a licence to operate a private hire business in Gateshead

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... d-14448302

A South Tyneside taxi firm has been fined for failing to declare a previously-banned taxi driver with a criminal record as one of its directors.

Redline Taxis of South Shields applied for a licence to operate a private hire business in Gateshead in November 2016, declaring it had two company directors - Mohsin Kahn and Mohammed Iqbal Malik.

But after a search of Companies House records, Gateshead Council uncovered an undisclosed third company director - Amjed Iqbal Malik.

Amjed Iqbal Malik was previously licensed as a hackney carriage and private hire driver by Gateshead Council, but in December 2011 had his licence revoked his licence in light of a number of criminal convictions.

Licensing officers with the authority were concerned Redline Taxis deliberately hid Mr Malik’s involvement in the business, and invited the two directors to interview to explain.

Mohammed Iqbal Malik attended the interview with his legal representative and presented a pre-prepared statement – but declined to answer any questions.

Moshin Kahn did not attend the interview and failed to respond to all requests to do so. It was later discovered that Mohsin Kahn was not even in the UK as his leave to remain had expired more than three years previously.

Redline Taxis pleaded guilty to knowingly omitting material information in an application for a licence at Gateshead Magistrates’ Court on March 14 and were fined £900, with a £90 victim surcharge and costs of £550 awarded against them.

Neither Mohammed Iqbal Malik or Mohsin Kahn attended court and the case was heard in their absence. It is understood that Redline Taxis has now ceased trading although officers are looking into this further.

Anneliese Hutchinson, service director for development, transport and public protection, said: “This appears to have been a deliberate attempt to deceive Gateshead Council on the ownership of a licensed business, and I am pleased that the courts have imposed a severe penalty.

“It is totally unacceptable that the company would seek to hide from the Licensing Authority the involvement of a man that was deemed totally unfit to drive a taxi due to his long criminal record”.

let me guess they thought they didn't need to

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

Looks like another firm following the Uber method of licensing.

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IDFIMH