Drivers from Southampton fined after being caught in operation by city council TWO private hire drivers have been fined hundreds of pounds after they were caught out in an undercover operation by council workers.
Ravinder Roath and Manjit Singh were both licensed to operate as drivers but only after being booked by members of the public in advance.
But they both offered to give lifts to council employees doing random checks on taxis in Southampton.
Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard how on December 13 last year council officers were doing the so-called test purchase operation in Southampton.
At 2am they saw car pull in at the Oceana nightclub in the Leisure World complex off West Quay Road.
The two officers from Southampton City Council approached the private hire vehicle and asked to be taken to Bedford Place.
Roath, who was driving, charged them £10 for the journey and did not take any of their details. Both officers also were anxious about the speed the 24-year-old was driving at, the court heard.
On the same night, Singh, also in a private hire taxi, dropped passengers off at the Buddha Lounge in Winchester Street, Bedford Place.
Officers approached him asking for a taxi to the Oceana nightclub at Leisure World.
The court heard he agreed and did not ask their names or details and charged them £7.20.
Only hackney carriages can sit at a taxi rank waiting for customers or stop if flagged down by a member of the public, the court heard.
“It’s for the protection of the public in order to ensure they travel in safe reliable and properly insured vehicles,” said Kate Rickwood, prosecuting.
Although insured to operate as a private hire vehicle neither vehicle was insured as a hackney carriage and therefore both men were prosecuted for this too.
They admitted plying for hire with a vehicle that was not licensed as a hackney carriage and driving without third party insurance.
Roath, of Amphill Road, Southampton, who defended himself, said it was the first time he had ever done such a thing. He and Singh, 62, of Chafen Road, Southampton, were each ordered to pay a £500 fine, costs of £225, a victim surcharge of £30 and got six points on their licence.
source:
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/1433448 ... operation/
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