Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver fined for unlawful activity in York

https://yorkmix.com/taxi-driver-fined-f ... y-in-york/

A taxi driver has been ordered to pay more than £3,000 for unlawful activity in York.

Zaid Saleem, of Girlington Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, aged 58, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday).

Saleem holds a private hire driver licence with Wolverhampton and Leeds Council, and works for a taxi operator called Drive Private Hire.

Like all private hire drivers, he can only pick up fares pre-booked through the operator.

On 25 May 2024, City of York Council licensing officers took part in one of a number of enforcement operations. This one was to detect private hire drivers who unlawfully take un-booked passengers, and it took place at York Racecourse and in the city centre.

Officers approached Mr Saleem in his private hire vehicle on Clock Tower Way near York Racecourse. They agreed that he would drive them to York railway station for a fare of £10 which breached his licence.

At York Magistrates Court yesterday, Mr Saleem pleaded guilty to the offence of unlawfully plying for hire. The magistrate sentenced him to pay a fine of £90, a surcharge of £36 and costs of £3,200.

Cllr Jenny Kent, environment lead at City of York Council, said: “If an unlicensed driver picks up a customer without a prior and formal booking they are not insured for the journey and are acting illegally.

“It is also important that those drivers who pay for the entitlement and license to pick up fares are protected from being undercut by those who do not.

“We will continue to investigate legitimate complaints and take appropriate legal action. Please report any taxi offences via licensing @york.gov.uk.”

Leeds and Wolverhampton Councils have been informed of the outcome to the case, so that they can review Mr Saleem’s taxi driver license status as a ‘fit and proper’ person.

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IDFIMH

An overseas reader (say) might be forgiven for thinking that's a single authority, particularly since multi-badging is pretty unusual in the trade (although I'd guess the reason he has two badges is something to do with multi-operator working )


That's better

And at least they didn't lazily misuse the ampersand, which happens a lot these days, and would be even more suggestive of some sort of association between the two:

Leeds & Wolverhampton Council

So in view of that missing 's', and also because the article above reads like the Ladybird Book of Taxi Regulation and Enforcement, I just had to find out who's responsible - the council or the press outlet.

And it's actually the council - the missing 's' is in their copy, and in terms of the whole 'explainer' vibe of the whole thing it's a very straightbat copy and paste job.

Apart, that is, for the headline and strapline, which are quite different.

But at least the press didn't go with the f-word ('fine', not the other one ) in terms of the financial penalties imposed on the driver. But you'd think they'd have corrected that missing 's'


Magistrates order private hire driver to pay £3,326 for unlawful activity

https://www.york.gov.uk/news/article/16 ... l-activity

A private hire driver who pleaded guilty yesterday (Thursday 24 April 2025) to picking up passengers on the street, has been ordered to pay a total £3,326 by York Magistrates.

Zaid Saleem, of Girlington Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, aged 58, holds a private hire driver licence with Wolverhampton and Leeds Council, and drives for an operator called ‘Drive Private Hire’. He, like all private hire drivers, can only pick up fares pre-booked through the operator.

In May 2024, Mr Saleem accepted a passenger who was not pre-booked which was outside the terms of his insurance and in breach of the terms of his private hire licence. This puts passengers and other road users at risk as when a private hire driver takes passengers on journeys that are not pre-booked they are not insured. Furthermore, drivers who flout the law have a competitive advantage over those who comply. This is something the council receives complaints about.

On 25 May 2024, City of York Council Licensing Officers took part in one of a number of enforcement operations which take place regularly. This one was to detect private hire drivers who unlawfully take un-booked passengers, and it took place at York Racecourse and in the city centre.

That day, officers approached Mr Saleem in his private hire vehicle on Clock Tower Way near York Racecourse. They agreed that he would drive them to York railway station for a fare of £10 which breached his licence.

On 24 April 2025 at York Magistrates Court, Mr Saleem pleaded guilty to the offence of unlawfully plying for hire. The magistrate sentenced him to pay a fine of £90, a surcharge of £36 and costs of £3,200.

Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment at City of York Council, said:

"If an unlicensed driver picks up a customer without a prior and formal booking they are not insured for the journey and are acting illegally.

“It is also important that those drivers who pay for the entitlement and license to pick up fares are protected from being undercut by those who do not.

“We will continue to investigate legitimate complaints and take appropriate legal action. Please report any taxi offences via licensing @york.gov.uk.”

Leeds and Wolverhampton Councils have been informed of the outcome to the case, so that they can review Mr Saleem’s taxi driver license status as a ‘fit and proper’ person.

Another point I'd missed is that he lives in Bradford

So he lives in Bradford, has badges issued by Leeds and Wolverhampton, and was caught plying for hire in York. Talk about cross-border working

And the only reason I really noticed the Bradford angle is because of the headline in one of the Newsquest titles. And, of course, often the only thing they really change in stuff like this is the headline, and it's otherwise pretty much a copy and paste job, replete with the missing 's' in 'Wolverhampton and Leeds Council'


Bradford private hire taxi driver fined for license breach

https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/25 ... nse-breach

A private hire taxi driver has been fined after admitting to breaching the terms of his license by picking up passengers in York who had not prebooked.

Bradford & Leeds & Wolverhampton & York.

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IDFIMH