Taxi Driver Online

Slightly odd case this, as will become apparent


Taxi driver in Shepshed overcharged disabled elderly passenger

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news ... ed-2974791

He was prosecuted as a result

A taxi driver has been prosecuted for overcharging an elderly and disabled passenger.

Noel Bertram picked up his fare but did not start his cab’s meter and at the end of his journey he charged the pensioner £30.

The cabbie was caught after a police officer spotted him driving in Shepshed and followed him because he knew his Fiat Scudo was not licensed.

Charnwood Borough Council decided to take Mr Bertram, of Milton Street Loughborough, to court.

The 71-year-old was convicted in his absence of taking a fare when the vehicle was not licensed and two offences of not activating the meter.

Leicester Magistrates Court heard that on September 13 last year, Mr Bertram was seen driving in Shepshed by the police officer.

The officer followed the vehicle to the Shepshed Town Council and Community Centre where he saw the driver lower the vehicle’s ramp and pick up a customer.

The vehicle then drove off towards Loughborough.

Subsequent inquiries revealed that the passenger paid a fee of £30 for the return journey.

What was Mr Bertram's explanation?

Mr Bertram was interviewed under caution and admitted that he was not licensed at the relevant time and that he had undertaken a fare for an elderly disabled passenger.

He had secured a licence for the vehicle, but it was not valid until September 14, 2018.

Mr Bertram said he did not use the taxi meter because it would not include the time spent loading and unloading a wheelchair from the vehicle.

A council enforcement officer calculated the journey should have cost £21.70.

Mr Bertram was fined £660, ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.

After the hearing, Coun Margaret Smidowicz, the council’s lead member for regulatory services, said: “I hope this case demonstrates to other taxi drivers that you can’t ignore the regulations and that we won’t hesitate to prosecute drivers who are not complying with them.

“People put their trust in taxi drivers and as a local authority we need to ensure the taxis in the borough are licensed and operating correctly.

"I’d like to also take this opportunity to remind members of the public to ensure the taxi they use is a licensed vehicle driven by a licensed driver.”

Mr Bertram is no longer a licensed driver with Charnwood Borough Council.

Well that was convenient - it's not everyday police officers follow vehicles around on the offchance that they'll prove to be unplated vehicles which will later pick up a passenger

Presumably there's more to it than meets the eye though.

he could have been picking up his wife

we have one round here that's been doing unlicensed airport trips for over 15 years but he'll never get caught because the council will ONLY listen to complaints from customers and nobody complains about a cut price trip to the airport !!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

If the vehicle is unlicensed,how can he be charged with not engaging the meter,the vehicle was not under Council licensing jurisdiction till the 14th.
Methinks someone has dropped a goolie.

I think you can be done for one or the other, not convinced that logically you can be done for both.

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IDFIMH

My thoughts entirely. It's also been made illegal to start the meter when a disabled passenger is boarding. You start the meter when boarding has finished.