Private hire driver fined

Archived press release

Date Published: 05/06/08

A private hire driver operating in Aylesbury has been handed a court bill of more than £350 after being caught illegally plying for hire.

Mohammed Yasin, of 15 Bicester Road, Aylesbury, was caught after a test purchasing operation co-ordinated by officers from Aylesbury Vale District Council’s licensing team.

It is currently illegal for licensed private hire drivers to accept fares without the customer pre-booking the vehicle.

On 30 November 2007, Mr Yasin had driven two council officers, posing as customers, from Buckingham Street to Broadfields and had quoted the price for the journey as £3.50. Mr Yasin was subsequently cautioned by a licensing enforcement officer for plying for hire without the required licence.

After pleading guilty at Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court on 29 May, the driver was fined £150 and also ordered to pay £200 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge fee.

Mr Yasin is the third private hire driver licensed by AVDC to be prosecuted this year. The council stressed that they will continue to carry out test purchasing operations and any private hire driver found to be plying for hire will be considered for prosecution.

Councillor Judy Brandis, Chairman of the AVDC Licensing Committee, said: “Taxi enforcement officers closely monitor the taxi trade to protect the interests and safety of passengers and will not hesitate to prosecute any private hire driver who is found to be unlawfully plying for hire. Private hire drivers and the public really do need to take offences such as these seriously. People must remember they are not insured if they get into one of these vehicles without pre-booking. I hope court cases like this will act as a warning.”

A private hire vehicle is not a taxi. It is a vehicle that must be pre-booked through an operator who normally runs a private hire business from a local office with a specific phone number. Members of the public may call in to the office or telephone to book a car that will be allocated to them.

If private hire vehicles are not booked in this way there are two major problems. One – any journey undertaken without pre-booking means that the vehicle in which anyone travels is not insured. Two – the driver is committing several motoring offences when carrying members of the public.

Private hire vehicles in Aylesbury are readily recognised by distinctive yellow plates carrying the official vehicle number, and by the yellow identification stickers on the doors.

A hackney carriage vehicle or taxi may only wait on an official rank, and may be flagged down by members of the public in any street or public place. Unlike a private hire vehicle they do not have to be pre-booked and must stop if waved at or flagged down.

Members of the public will recognise these vehicles by the illuminated “Taxi” sign on the roof and the white licence plate on the rear of the vehicle.

For more information on hackney carriage and private hire licenses, visit the council’s website at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/business or call 01296 585083.