Taxi Driver Online

Expired licence puts cabbie out of work

An honest taxi driver from Chorley says he could face being out of a job this Christmas because of a dispute with licensing chiefs.

Mohammed Essa has had his hackney carriage licence withdrawn and has been told he must reapply for a new one, and get medical and criminal record checks done.

He says that he didn't realise his badge had expired on October 25 so faces paying £500 to get the new paperwork in order.

That could take several weeks and now he's taken his case directly to licensing chiefs at Chorley Council in the hope that they'll show him some leniency.

Mr Essa, of Buckingham Street, made headlines this time last year when he turned detective to return a purse with £500 which he found in the street to its relieved owner.

The driver, who runs Classic Cars, said: "I've been driving since 1990 and the council is basically asking me to reapply as if I was starting as a new driver.

"The CRB check, the medical and everything else costs around £500 and I'll also have to do a knowledge test to make sure that I'm a trustworthy and safe person to get into a vehicle with.

"Chorley Council know that I've been driving for that long and I've never had a traffic offence or a single point on my licence since.

"If they don't give me the licence after I explain everything to the licensing committee I don't know what I'm going to do - I don't want to go on the dole.

"It could mean that I'm out of a job for Christmas."

It is believed that three other taxi drivers from Chorley have also had to reapply because of an expired licence badges.

Coun Peter Malpas, Chorley Council's executive member for business, said: "It is the responsibility of the taxi driver to make sure that they renew their hackney carriage drivers licence."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

You either have a license or you don't.

If you have one, which hasn't run out, then a renewal is straight forward.

If yours has run out then you don't have one, in the same way a new entrant doesn't have one.

Both should be treated equally.

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IDFIMH

Yes. I've just looked at the badge I'm wearing, and it states "expiry date, 22.08.2009. Not hard to figure, is it?

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Former taxi driver

Dam do we have to wait that long

Sire, no you do not.

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Former taxi driver

cant find mine to check it

Give our council their due, they write to us in plenty of time with the renewal application, then even remind you a fortnight before expiry!

I can't really ask for better service than that!

At least your license fee is being used wisely.

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Grandad,