Well the official police press release headlines etc for this kind of thing are often a bit vague or indirect, and then press rehash tends to be a bit more to the point
But this one's even more round-the-houses than usual. And starts in police PR mode before getting to the nitty gritty.
And, naturally, although the private hire/pre-booking thing is partly explained, there's no mention at all of the HC/public hire angle. And he's specifically referred to as a 'licensed taxi driver'
Keeping you safe in Birminghamhttps://www.westmidlands.police.uk/news ... irmingham/We're continuing our work to keep Birmingham city centre safe and ensure visitors are not exploited and potentially put at risk by rogue taxi drivers.We're continuing our work to keep Birmingham city centre safe and ensure visitors are not exploited and potentially put at risk by rogue taxi drivers.
We know people can be at their most vulnerable following a night out, and it's why we regularly work with partners to monitor pick up areas so you're in the hands of a reputable driver to get you home safely.
If you're a passenger using an illegally-operating driver then it creates danger as your journey can't be tracked, and insurance will also be invalid should there be a collision.
The laws make it illegal for a private hire driver to ply for business, they can only accept pre-booked journeys through an official operator which are trackable.
Teams including police and council licensing officers carry out operations to monitor activity, with safety of everyone at the forefront.
One private hire driver who was pulled over and stopped was this month hit with a court bill for almost £1,500 and given eight penalty points on his licence. This means any further driving offence could now lead to a ban.
It came after he admitted illegally plying for hire after picking up two women in Navigation Street on a Friday night in September last year. Although he was a licensed taxi driver he was knowingly breaking the law.
Chief Inspector Vicki Stott, of Birmingham city centre police, said: "The safety of everyone coming in and out of the city centre is paramount, and one way of doing this is making sure they are travelling safely.
"An unbooked journey is dangerous for the passenger, as there is no record of the journey which can be traced.
"The vast majority of private hire drivers are operating legitimately and responsibly, and it's not fair when someone breaks the law to make quick money.
"We know the importance of keeping everyone safe, and we won't have vulnerable people, especially women and girls, in a position where they are not safe.
"We want to help make sure Birmingham, and the wider West Midlands towns and cities, are safe and law-abiding places for everyone to visit, work or live."
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