Crawley minicab firm can still operate in town despite former licencee's conviction for 10 offencesOne of Crawley's best known minicab firms will continue to operate in the town after an agreement was made that a man convicted of criminal offences would hand the operator's licence to somebody else.
Mawaz Khan held the private hire operator's licence for United Cars on Grand Parade, just off the High Street, but on May 13 he was convicted of 10 offences relating to using private hire cars and drivers which were not licensed by Crawley Borough Council for bookings in Crawley.
This practice is sometimes referred to as 'cross border hiring' and he was ordered to pay more than £3,000 before the council then revoked his operator's licence.
Khan was given 21 days to lodge an appeal, which he did, and the case was due to be heard at Worthing Magistrates' Court on July 20. However he withdrew the appeal on the day of the hearing because an agreement was made with the council.
The operator's licence has now been issued to somebody else, meaning United Cars can still operate in Crawley, but under strict conditions designed to prevent such practices occurring again. The council was also awarded costs in defending this matter.
United Cars has been able to continue operating since May, pending the outcome of the appeal.
Councillor Michael Pickett, chairman of the council's licensing committee, said: "We take public safety very seriously and cross border hiring seriously affects our ability to regulate the taxi trade and is illegal.
"Crawley has an international airport and a large number of private hire and hackney carriages and great efforts are made to ensure those working in the taxi trade who are issued a licence by the council are safe and suitable to undertake this work."
United Cars has been contacted so that we could speak to Mr Khan but we were told he is away on holiday until tomorrow.
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http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/crawley-ta ... u1Z47VO.99
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