This reads like a council press release rewrite, in which case I normally look for the original online and paste that. But, as per usual, I think Reading Borough Council just send them directly to the press, and don't post them online.
Anyway, nothing particularly out-of-the-ordinary here. Except, of course, that it might be out of the ordinary in the vast majority of councils, but Reading does a lot of this kind of stuff all the time
Private hire taxi drivers prosecuted in Reading town centre
https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news ... wn-centre/
Two private hire drivers have been prosecuted after illegally picking up passengers without bookings in Reading.
The offences occurred in the town during test purchase operations carried out by the council’s licensing team outside the Grosvenor Casino on Queens Road and in the town centre.
This lead to convictions for both drivers and a combined total of more than £2,500 in fines and costs.
Shafqat Ali, 42, of Faringdon Road, agreed to take an undercover officer to Wokingham for £60 without a prior booking.
This act, known as "plying for hire," is illegal for private hire drivers, who may only take passengers with pre-booked journeys.
Councillor John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport at Reading Borough Council, said: "Public safety and confidence in regulated and licensed taxis is of paramount importance.
"Private Hire and Hackney Carriage customers are entitled to trust the person driving is properly vetted, authorised, checked, and licensed.
"Unlicensed drivers who undermine that trust will be robustly dealt with to maintain public confidence and ensure safety in our night time economy.
"The Council Licensing Team worked tirelessly to bring this complex case to court, and I am glad Magistrates’ recognised the importance of it."
Private hire journeys must be pre-booked.
If they are not, the passenger is not insured in the event of an accident.
On May 1, 2026, Mr Ali was found guilty at Reading Magistrates Court of plying for hire and using a motor vehicle without insurance.
He was fined £180 and ordered to pay £500 in costs, along with a victim surcharge of £72.
His driving licence was endorsed with eight penalty points.
Combined with a previous endorsement of six points, he was disqualified from driving for six months.
In a separate operation in June 2025, officers carried out another covert test purchase in central Reading.
They approached Amit Malik, a private hire driver licensed by Wokingham Borough Council, and asked for a journey to Market Place in Wokingham.
Mr Malik agreed to take the passenger without a booking, quoting a fare of £35.
This was also in breach of private hire licensing laws.
At a hearing on May 11, 2026, Mr Malik was fined £225 for plying for hire and £594 for driving without insurance.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £328 and £1,640 towards prosecution costs.
His licence was endorsed with eight penalty points.
Any customer who has any concerns about taxi or private hire drivers can report them in confidence to licensing@reading.gov.uk or through the Council Contact Centre on 0118 937 3787.
