Taxi Driver Online

Yet more plying for hire prosecutions from Trafford Council.

Three cases this time, but rather than the usual Manc City Council HCs plying for hire, one of them is a Wolves-plated PHV

Of course, this is Andy Burnham's old stomping ground as Mayor of Greater Manchester, and he was always moaning about Wolves-plated cars working in the Manc area...

And no surprise that this happened at sporting fixtures, and that the teams involved are mentioned in the news release. But a slight difference with one of them


Three taxi drivers receive fines and licence points for illegal pick-ups

https://www.trafford.gov.uk/news/2026/t ... l-pick-ups

Three taxi drivers who picked up undercover licensing enforcement officers before or after sporting fixtures around Old Trafford have been sentenced at Manchester Magistrates Court.

Trafford Council brought the prosecutions following routine investigations last year. Only Hackney Carriage drivers licensed in Trafford are allowed to be hailed to pick up fares in the borough. Private hire drivers must be pre-booked.

Mr Ka Lun Wong, 59, of Butterworth Street, Radcliffe, a Manchester City Council licensed Hackney Carriage driver, was prosecuted for unlicensed ply for hire and using his vehicle without insurance, with the case proved in his absence. He was fined £660, a surcharge of £264 and costs of £660 totalling £1,584. He received eight points on his DVLA driver’s licence.

Wolverhampton-registered private hire driver Mr Muhammad Adnan, 40, of Mornington Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty to unlicensed ply for hire, using his vehicle without insurance and failing to wear his driver’s badge. He was fined £430 with a surcharge of £172 and £198 costs totalling £800. He received eight points on his DVLA driver’s licence.

Both prosecutions on 24 July 2026 relate to pick-ups last July, 2025, as Lancashire County Cricket Club hosted a test match, England v India.

Finally, another Manchester City Council Hackney Carriage driver, Mr Tahir Islam, 65, of Tennyson Avenue, Bury, pleaded guilty to illegally ply for hire and using his vehicle without insurance at Tameside Magistrates Court on 15 July 2026. The case related to Saturday 4 October last year, before a Manchester United match against Sunderland.

He was fined £484, with a surcharge of £182 and £200 contribution to costs as well as eight points on his driving licence.

A spokesperson for Trafford Council said:

“It is an offence for any vehicle other than a Hackney Carriage licensed in the district to stand or ply for hire. Picking up an un-booked fare automatically invalidates vehicle insurance and leaves passengers vulnerable in the event of a road traffic collision. Trafford Council will continue to take enforcement action where individuals do not adhere to these rules.”

Actually, the first case doesn't mention a sports fixture, so it could be the more usual late-night pickup, or in fact anything. Or maybe the result at Old Trafford was so unwelcome that the author of the news release couldn't bring themselves to mention the teams involved

don't forget Stuart Old trafford like most sports stadiums hosts business functions private parties stadium tours cancerts etc. but the football games will be the best opportunities to pick up illegal fares.

The LO's know this so probably only target match days in fact the frequency they catch people suggests maybe they are season ticket holders and do a bit of enforcement after the game.

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

It must be so easy for the Trafford LOs to find the bad boys; they prosecute more in a year than most councils do in their lifetimes.

And you would think the said bad boys would learn to keep away.

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IDFIMH