Taxi Driver Online

Out-of-town minicab driver hit with £1,000 bill for trying to illegally pick up passengers in Manchester city centre


Azhar Fiaz was stopped by inspectors while driving a Rochdale-licensed vehicle - but refused to speak or show any identification

A private hire cabbie has been hit with a bill of almost £1,000 after being spotted illegally trying to pick up customers in Manchester city centre.

Azhar Fiaz, in a minicab licensed in Rochdale , was spotted driving in the city centre in September.

When he was approached by a council enforcement officer, who asked him if he had a pre-booked job in the area, he refused to speak or show him any identification - and shut the window.

During the incident, at around 2am on September 12, Mr Fiaz, 32, of Norton Road, Rochdale, ignored a second enforcement officer before the police were called.

When an officer spoke to Mr Fiaz, he finally retrieved his private hire badge before admitting he did not have a booking in the city.

He was told to leave - and was subsequently invited to an interview under caution to discuss his failure to wear his badge and also refusing to cooperate with officers.

But he failed to attend - or even respond to a letter.

Mr Fiaz was hauled before Manchester Magistrates’ Court and hit with a £600 fine, costs of £333 - and a victim surcharge of £60.

Coun Nigel Murphy, Manchester council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, said: “Public safety is of the upmost concern which is why our enforcement officers are out on the city streets ensuring that both taxi and private hire regulations are adhered to.

“This case should act as a wake-up call to any private hire driver tempted to bend the rules.

“Our officers are incredibly diligent and will not hesitate to pursue infractions in Manchester - even if the driver is licensed by another authority.”

source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... r-11209876

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

I thought the local enforcement team had no powers over out of town hackneys pretending to be private hire in another licensing area?

Also can a out of town Hackney pretending to be private hire in another area take jobs called on to his mobile phone whilst he's not in his area and parked prominently say a night club or outside dominos?

In other words a customer approaches him whilst he's parked outside dominos?

Short but definite answer NO

But they didn't enforce, they got the police to do it.

That said I'm amazed they got a conviction.

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IDFIMH

This guy was only prosecuted because he was not co-operative with licensing....It is quite normal in Manchester for anyone from anywhere to pick up un booked fares and nothing is done at all.
There are about 30 prosecutions a Year when we have 100's of offenders daily...
It is not correct that Licensing cannot prosecute drivers out of their licensing area...Trafford council do it all the time specially outside Old Trafford Football Ground....
Manchester Licensing are quite happy for illegal activities to go on...
IF they are serious about this they can prosecute hundreds more....

Trafford operate with joint operations with licensing offers from different areas though, don't they?

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

No Trafford operate independently...It's a no nonsense area....even the courts there take no PC rubbish

Drivers get targeted there and they prosecute many every year...Certainly many more than Manchester ever will...

I was asked by one when I was dropping a fare at a match...Are you available for Hire ?...not the kind

of language used by punters and that too ''before'' the match ??...

Kudos to them...They have even prosecuted their own drivers for bad behaviour and That's how it should be everywhere !

I'm pretty sure they do joint operations at old Trafford, indeed, I was speaking to the local TODA about it

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

So going back to my question, could I park my Hackney carriage outside dominos pizza in carlisle and take bookings called on to my phone?? I'm parked at a prominent position inviting customers to call me.

If not what laws am I breaking?

Surely if I'm pretending to be a private hire then I can only work through a private hire company?

we have a local company round here with one PH and one Huntingdonshire plated car on their books they park them outside a prominent night spot on a friday and saturday night picking up unbooked fares and nothing can be done about it apparently

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

That's how to do it.

Not a hackney carriage - not that that matters.

Any local authority can prosecute any person (not restricted to hackney and private hire) where a local authority consider it expedient for the promotion or protection of the interests of the inhabitants of their area. See section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972. This act and section is what allows local authorities to prosecute No Insurance and like offences that do not fall under statutory powers given to them.

Given the recent events in some areas of the country and the issue of invalidated insurance if private hires go-a-blagging it is well within the councils powers to take action.

we have a local company round here with one PH and one Huntingdonshire plated car on their books they park them outside a prominent night spot on a friday and saturday night picking up unbooked fares and nothing can be done about it apparently [/quote]

Threaten to go to press with the information that shows the local authority are failing in there duty of care to the public that might get them of there lazy a$$e$.

Surely a p/h picking up out-of-area without being pre-booked should be treated as an unlicenced car, i.e. Abdul Mahood-Smith using his shagged out Mondeo without even a ph plate from anywhere?

The "invalid insurance" mantra really shouldn't work; you are either insured for the carriage of passengers for hire and reward or you're not, irrespective of whether or not your vehicle is properly licenced.

not if your insurance say's different...

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!