Taxi driver who went viral on Facebook after fight with passenger over fare loses his licenceSeems a bit harsh this one, but please check out recording on the newspaper's website before passing judgement
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/1578 ... s_licence/A PRIVATE hire driver has lost his licence after he left a young girl in a state of fear or alarm during an argument over the cost of her fare which went viral online.
Safaa Alsaffar had his licence taken off him at a recent meeting of Glasgow City Council's Licensing Board.
It comes after Mr Alsaffar was investigated by The Taxi and Private Hire Enforcement Unit following a complaint by the woman.
We previously reported in July that Zoe Webb had recorded the conversation between herself, the driver and the taxi controller before posting it on the social media website Facebook.
Ms Webb had been told by City Cars that a taxi from St Stephen's Church in Dalmuir to an address in Neilston would cost £20.
During the recording, Mr Alsaffar can be heard questioning the quote for the journey with his controller and the passenger.
He also asked the woman to pay the fare up front, which she said he attempted to raise to £30, and threatened to put her out the taxi unless it was paid.
The controller could also be clearly heard telling Mr Alsaffar: "The passenger was given a quote, I have told you what the quote is and you need to honour that quote."
In a report to the Licensing Board, Ms Webb said: "The taxi driver acted completely inappropriately towards me, placing me in a state of fear, concern and distress whilst abusing duty of care to me as a vulnerable member of the public with an expectation that he would professionally transport me to my chosen destination."
Mr Alsaffar’s licence was due to expire on May 31 but the local authority decided that it was ‘suspended for the unexpired portion’.
Councillor Alex Wilson, Chair of Licensing and Regulatory Committee, said: “Our duty is to ensure that passengers are taken safely from A to B without being without being put in state of fear or alarm.
“It’s the conduct of the Mr Alsaffar that we are concerned about, not the issue of the distance of the journey.
“He should have picked up on the fact that the passenger was becoming distressed and acted accordingly.
“There should not have been a quibble over the fare.
“The passenger was quoted a price and that was confirmed by the driver’s control.
“The problem should not have been with the passenger but the driver’s control.
“He should have taken the passenger to her destination and then taken it up with control, asking them to make up the difference.”
Mr Alsaffar was represented at the hearing by a solicitor from Miller Kendal Solicitors, Glasgow.
She told the committee that according to City Cars’ own tariffs that a journey of 17 miles between Clydebank and Neilston with one drop-off on way, should have cost £27.
She added that Mr Alsaffar, of Dundee, never asked for £30. He was asking for £25.
She said: "Control was wrong on this matter. They got their distances wrong. The management of City Cars also confirmed that Mr Alsaffar was never advised that a £20 fare had been agreed in advance. As far as he was concerned he was entitled to ask for the sum he was asking for. He was in fact undercharging, not overcharging."
She added: "It was out of character for him to behave in this way. I do not think he feels it was acceptable."
The recording has attracted more than 1.2million views, and thousands of likes, shares and comments since it was posted.
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