Taxi Driver Online

Well this is an odd one - tried to find the original official source for this (presumably a press release), but as per usual MK seems to be one of the few councils who don't post this sort of stuff directly online now.

Anyway, I wonder how he came to be badged by Buckinghamshire and Bradford Councils at the same time?

Maybe he'd moved house, or whatever, and had two overlapping badges.

But does that mean his vehicle was plated by two different councils at the same time?

Not sure that's possible, and in fact a lot of councils (like Wolverhampton) expressly forbid it. But he'd need the two separate plates, otherwise the triple-lock isn't in place?

(Although I suppose only one triple-lock in necessary for working, and nothing specifically to stop him having a badge issued by a third party authority while working under a triple-lock for another authority. Or something like that.)


Milton Keynes private hire driver fined

https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/news?f ... ate%3A2026

Penalty points handed down after illegal pickups.

A private hire driver, licensed by councils in Buckinghamshire and Bradford, has been fined more than £1,500 and received eight DVLA penalty points after pleading guilty to multiple offences at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court last week.

Ali Mehran was prosecuted following a joint test‑purchase operation carried out by Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes City Council last July.

In the operation, two council employees were picked up by Mr Mehran without a booking in Bletchley and taken to Newport Pagnell. Mr Mehran was later seen unlawfully standing for hire in Newport Pagnell.

Private hire vehicles must always be pre‑booked through an operator. Picking up customers without a booking is illegal and leaves passengers uninsured. The city council will continue to carry out regular checks to help keep people safe.

As a result of the offences, Mr Mehran pleaded guilty to:

Plying for hire – £200 fine

Standing for hire – £250 fine

No insurance – £250 fine and eight DVLA penalty points

Victim Surcharge – £280

Council costs – £614

A total of £1,594 and eight points. Both Buckinghamshire Council and Bradford Metropolitan District Council will now review his licence status.

“Private hire drivers must follow the law to ensure public safety,” said Cllr Mick Legg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services.

“Unlicensed and uninsured activity puts passengers at risk and undermines the reputation of the many drivers who operate legally and responsibly. We will continue to work with partners to take firm action against anyone breaking the rules.”

The other obviously odd thing is the 'plying for hire'/'standing for hire' charges - presumably the former was when he actually accepted the test purchase, while the latter when he was just waiting in the street, which I'd always assumed was just the plying for hire thing as well.

So maybe it's not different charge as such in the strictly legal sense, but it's portrayed in the piece as a separate offence

I would hope not, and as you allude to, many councils, maybe the vast majority, forbid it.

I suspect he had two driver's badges, which isn't uncommon.

Several of my mates have both a B&H license and a Lewes license.

_________________
IDFIMH

Yes, I'd guess it was just overlapping badges because of where he previously worked, or whatever. And my point about the triple-lock a bit of a red herring

I also had two overlapping badges once upon a time - my Dundee badge when I worked there, which overlapped with my Fife badge when I went to work there.

And I never had a Dundee plate.

And, of course, could in theory still have retained the Dundee badge for years and years, but just let it lapse when it came up for renewal in 1999, or whenever it was...