A rare piece about actual touting, and not confusing it with something else
And a good, clear explanation of what it's all about, too.
Although whether it actually was an incident of touting is unclear - it hasn't been reported to either council or police
Council issues advice following reports of 'touting' in Darlington town centrehttps://uk.news.yahoo.com/council-issue ... 00954.htmlA man is reportedly approaching shoppers and offering unlicensed taxi journeys in Darlington.Darlington Council has, as a result, issued advice on touting - which is when drivers approach members of the public and invite them to be carried for hire.
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 states: “It is an offence, in a public place, to solicit persons to hire vehicles to carry them as passengers.”
The advice comes after reports on social media of a man who pulled up on Priestgate in Darlington and approached a woman offering to take her across town for £10.
Following the reports, Darlington Borough Council has issued a warning to members of the public.
A council spokesperson said: “Touting is strictly prohibited on any road. It is a criminal offence for drivers to engage in this behaviour.
“Although this particular incident has not been reported to the council, we take these issues very seriously.
Anyone wanting to report suspected touting should email
licensing@darlington.gov.uk and provide as much information as possible – including details of the vehicle, drive, time and location.
"Our staff will investigate accordingly.
“Unlicensed vehicles pose a significant safety risk, as they have not been through the required vehicle safety checks or driver background vetting.”
Durham Police was approached for comment by The Northern Echo, but could not locate the incident.