Taxi Driver Online

Dodgy private-hire driver hauled before committee



A private-hire driver has lost his right to operate after he was caught using an unlicensed vehicle 380 times over a 23-month period.

Council chiefs withdrew Paul Grainger's private hire licence after he admitted he had been an "idiot" and broken the law.

The driver failed to renew his right to take fares in 2009 and was eventually caught and prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police in February.

Putting his case to Cheltenham Borough Council's licensing committee on Friday, Mr Grainger said: "I will put my hand up, I was an absolute idiot.

"It was definitely a stupid thing to do and it definitely won't happen again."

He said he had returned his licence plate at the request of the council after his authorisation expired but did not submit his renewal application.

However, he continued to take fares with only a private hire driver's licence.

Taxi operators require a separate licence for their vehicle.

Officers caught him taking a fare at Heathrow Airport on February 11 and he appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court 11 days later.

He was fined £500, ordered to pay £100 and a £15 victim surcharge.

When he was asked to account for it, he said his car was fully insured to take passengers.

In an interview with licensing bosses, he had previously claimed not having a licence was "merely an oversight".

Councillor Roger Whyborn (LD, Up Hatherley) said: "You are asking me to take on board that you drove around for two years knowingly and consciously having taken it back before. I want to know why I should take you seriously."

Councillor Pat Thornton (LD, St Peter's) asked Mr Grainger why he had carried on, but he replied that he could not answer the question.

Members of the committee voted 6-1 in favour of withdrawing the licence, with only Councillor Paul Wheeldon (LD, St Paul's) backing him to carry on.

Committee chairman Councillor Diggory Seacome (C, Lansdown) said: "You said about five minutes ago it definitely won't happen again.

"That vote has told you that it definitely won't."

Mr Grainger has 21 days to appeal the decision.

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

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

Caught 380 times?

CC

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

https://democracy.cheltenham.gov.uk/mgC ... px?ID=2484

well dodgy

CC

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

I would guess that he was only actually caught the once but he may have produced some records showing that he had done 380 jobs. I am suprised that the insurance situation was not looked at further because my insurance requires me to be correctly licensed.

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Grandad,

I was surprised at the nonchalant way the council seem to have accepted the story......I know I wouldn't have as the driver appears to have known exactly what he was doing.

Perhaps we need to find out the insurance company that allows cars to be unlicensed for hire and reward?

CC

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

You used to be able to do it under the contract exemption that went out of the window 3 or 4 years ago. You can still do it if you are running small vehicles as part of a fleet of buses or on restricted PCV if it is not your main job.

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Grandad,

True....but I don't think it was the case in this instance.

There seems to be a glaring mistake by the council in 4.1 of the report.

And again this "Mr Grainger stated that his vehicle was fully insured and this was verified by the Police over the phone with his insurance company" doesn't sit comfortably with me.

CC

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

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IDFIMH

An oversight, it could have happened to anyone of us.