Taxi Driver Online

A TAXI driver has been fined after refusing to stop sounding the horn in his car when a protest took to the streets of Middlesbrough.

Mohammed Azeem Latif, 26, had parked his car in Albert Road, outside the town hall, on April 12.

This was amid a protest by cabbies over plans for taxi wardens.

As reported, drivers from Boro Cars, the town’s biggest operator, had queued up on the streets outside the town hall to demonstrate as officials held a hearing to discuss plans for new taxi wardens.

Middlesbrough Council had announced plans to employ staff at Wilson Street in the town centre to regulate the flow of Hackney carriages and private hire taxis late on Friday and Saturday nights outside local takeaways.

The plans were announced after Boro Cars lost a bitter court battle against the council over the prosecution of one of its drivers for parking in a space reserved for Hackney carriages.

Boro Taxis accused the council of “abuse of power”, and claimed the authority was favouring Hackney carriage drivers to the detriment of its business.

At the Middlesbrough Council executive meeting, Boro Taxis owner Mohammed Bashir was joined in the public gallery by around 40 of his drivers carrying banners attacking Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon over the issue. When the mayor arrived he was greeted with chants of “Ray Mallon out”.

Outside, dozens of cabbies were also present - driving round the town hall and blasting their car horns. Despite being cautioned by a police officer, Latif refused to stop sounding the horn of his private hire vehicle.

Teesside Magistrates’ Court yesterday heard that, at one point, Latif, of Lansdowne Road, Longlands, Middlesbrough, told an officer “I’m going to keep doing it.”

Prosecutor Chris Atkinson told the court the police officer said to Latif he was causing nuisance to other road users and pedestrians.

“However the male did not heed to the warning by the officer and continued to sound his horn”, he said.

Latif, who was not present in court yesterday, was found guilty in his absence. Magistrate Barry Lomas fined him £175 with £100 costs.

A spokeswoman for Boro Cars said: “We were unaware that action was being taken against any driver who participated in the demonstration.”

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... 9052362/2/

Taxi wardens, taxi marshals, taxi co-ordinators; what's the difference?

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Brummie Cabbie.

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Well I was at the meeting in April, (not as a Boro car driver, I hasten to add) Mayor Mallon said he wanted Taxi Marshall's set up within 2 weeks, we're still waiting for any details of Marshall's/wardens or co-ordinators.

Isn't this the taxi firm whose owner stood against Mayor Mallon at the last election and lost who has been waging a bitter and acrimonious war against Mr mallon ?

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

Well, he never stood himself, he supported another candidate, but yes, its the same bloke.