Taxi Driver Online

Two Chorley taxi drivers lose their licences following 'turf wars'


Two private hire drivers at the centre of a revenge attack over ‘taxi turf wars’ have lost their licences, following an appeal at Preston Crown Court.

Yasar Mahmood, 35, of Burgh Wood Way, Chorley, and Rashid Sohail, 30, of Eaves Lane Chorley, were both found to be not fit or proper to drive private hire taxis or hackney carriages following the two day hearing.

The court heard that Chorley Council originally revoked their licences after they both pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke violence in November 2008.

The court heard the incident involved the kidnap of a rival taxi operator from his vehicle who had gone to work for another company and was suspected by Mahmood and Sohail of poaching a fare.

During the case, Preston Crown Court heard how the rival driver was bundled into a car in Chorley town centre, driven out of the area and assaulted.

The pair were subsequently stripped of their licences by Chorley Council’s licensing sub-committee, but appealed against the decision.

The appeal was heard and granted by South Ribble Magistrates Court.

But Chorley Council was last week successful in winning its appeal against the two drivers holding licenses again.

Councillor Eric Bell, who oversees licensing matters as the Council’s Executive Member for People and Places, said: “The council felt very strongly that these two former taxi drivers were not the type of people we wanted working in the borough.

“They both admitted their part in what can only be described as ‘taxi turf wars’ which resulted in the kidnap of another man.

“This isn’t the kind of behaviour we would want or expect from our taxi drivers who are subject to rigorous tests and checks before licences are granted.

“This council takes the public safety of local people and visitors extremely seriously and we’ll fight against anyone we don’t think is fit or proper having a licence. The public can feel reassured we won’t let people like this hold licences and were prepared to take this issue all the way to make sure it didn’t happen.”

Mahmood and Sohail have had their licences revoked with immediate effect.

The council made an application for costs which was granted.

source: http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/

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IDFIMH

Is the tide turning......

The actual charges seem very minor. I wonder why they were not charged with kidnap?

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There's no excuse for animal abuse. If you ain't vegan you are an animal abuser.

Although the article says the ex taxi/PH drivers were centre to the kidnap it doesn't say they were actaully involved in the incident, so they may have been what started it, but they didn't take part or help plan it.

Or there wasn't enough evidence.

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IDFIMH

Hmmmmmm!!!!

http://www.wigantoday.net/news/turf_war ... d_1_762031

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IDFIMH

We are having the same happen here with two Asian firms vying for work..... It's quite comical hearing them argue and threaten each other on the ranks.... With a bit more hardship on it's way we will hopefully see them annihilate each other. They don't like us indigenous chaps and the feeling is mutual, after all we didn't ask them to come here did we! When they have no one to hate they just hate each other, which is marvellous for us!!
The great thing about being independent is how I sometimes get flagged down only to find out later they thought I was the firm that they rang..... Reason they did ask as why my fare was cheaper? Whoops! Oh dear! Should have said they rang for it..... Titter
Now they phone me if I'm available.....

hmmmm, can you explain that one?

CC

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

Born here and not afraid to speak our/my minds, whether you like it or not, which may be bigoted to you, but I'm pretty sure that most are thinking how I and most others really feel the undermining of the trade, that being, too many taxi's and most of them with Asian drivers who do not even live in the locality, are not known by the indigenous population and are generally resented and disliked by them as well, with no way of actually being rid of them....

For someone to get a license they must be allowed to work in the country.

Would you prefer these folks to be on the dole instead?

No-one likes loads of extra drivers, but just because they weren't born in the country isn't a good enough reason to have a pop at them.

In my area the biggest cheats/crooks are as white as white can be, included a few directors of the radio circuits.

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IDFIMH

Not so much having a pop at them more the fact that they were not invited here (by the people)...... The fact was the trade here was fairly balanced before more and more immigrants took advantage of deregulation. It was just en masse and literally within one year which meant the same as anywhere else that suffered the same thing. The ironic thing is they are all now complaining about no work and too many taxis!!.
Lets face the real truth.... Our LA actually admit to us that they have encountered more problems and complaints since these people came here than they ever had before so the only way they could stem the flow to a trickle was to make it as difficult as possible through strict quality control, but sadly not quick enough.
It's more a feeling of deep resentment rather than a racist thing and it has backfired on the people that came here uninvited....... period