Taxi Driver Online

Another Trafford Council news release that contains the ridiculous detail of the match score at Old Trafford more than a year ago when when the offence took place

I'd guess whoever wrote this is maybe a Man City fan

Or maybe Sussex has had a career change to working in comms for local government


Taxi driver fined over illegal pick-up in Old Trafford

https://www.trafford.gov.uk/news/2026/t ... d-trafford

A taxi driver licenced to another council was caught plying for hire after a Manchester United game by undercover officers from Trafford Council.

Only Hackney Carriage drivers licensed by Trafford Council are allowed to pick up in the borough, meaning any other is illegal and uninsured.

Mr Guru Fatay Ronuk Singh, 44, of Lostock Road, Urmston, was seen parked in a bus stop on Chester Road, with his ‘for hire’ sign illuminated at the end of Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat versus Brighton on Sunday 19 January last year.

Undercover licensing enforcement officers asked Mr Singh, who was licenced by Manchester City Council, to go to the city centre. When the journey got under way, the officers identified themselves and asked him to pull over.

Later, at interview, Mr Singh acknowledged that he uses his ‘for hire’ sign to attract customers but suggested that he forgot to turn it off and admitted he made “a very big boo boo”.

Manchester Magistrates found Mr Singh guilty of plying for hire without insurance. He was fined £180 with a £48 victim surcharge and £180 costs, as well as receiving six points on his driving licence.

Cllr Rose Thompson, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Communities and Safety, said:

“This is an example of a wider problem on matchdays with drivers from other areas illegally looking for fares and this court prosecution shows our officers are watching and will take action.

“Only Hackney Carriages licensed by Trafford Council are permitted to pick up fares without a booking and by doing so Mr Singh committed the offence of illegally plying for hire and in doing so invalidated his insurance.

“Trafford’s Hackney Carriage drivers work hard to provide transport for those who need it in the borough. This type of behaviour puts public safety at risk and is illegal. Our licensing enforcement team members work to support drivers who follow the rules properly and to make sure passengers ride safely with insurance in place.”

Timely reminder that Old Trafford is in the Trafford Council area, as opposed to the Manchester City Council area.

And quite an interesting response to that FOI request in the other thread. According to this Trafford 'initiated' seven prosecutions during the whole of 2024, but 10 during the first six months of the following year

And the vast majority of the 17 total marked 'no outcome yet' at the time the FOI was answered.

But quite a list of offences, including the usual plying for hire, overcharging, no insurance and failing to wear badge.

But also one or two unusual ones, like obstructing an officer and failing to surrender badges after revocation and suspension...

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... utions_290

Well at least someone had a good day, even if the Manchester cabby didn't.

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IDFIMH

Wouldn't have even noticed these particular words a few months ago, but in view of stuff in other threads, couldn't help notice this in Taxi Point's version:


But whether Trafford Council actually used the highlighted words is another matter entirely - maybe it's just Taxi Point, er, paraphrasing

But it's all a bit nitpicking largely irrelevant slight nuances in language, so can't be bothered looking back

... and here's another slightly odd and potentially misleading and recurring Taxi Point trait - the opening words make it sound like the 'licensing regime' is unique to Trafford, as opposed to being the same throughout England (and Wales and Scotland too, if applied to the other legislative frameworks)