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Posted on the 21st February 2025 in PHTM News
PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER TO PAY £1,600 FOR ILLEGAL PLYING FOR HIRE AT READING FESTIVAL
A Transport for London-licensed private hire driver has been ordered to pay £1,603 after being caught illegally plying for hire at Reading Festival.
Hammad Ashraf Khan Manj, from Slough, offered a ride to Slough train station from near the festival site on Tessa Road.
Unbeknown to him, his potential customers were actually undercover licensing officers conducting a joint operation between Reading Borough Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and Fareham Borough Council.
Manj's licence permitted him only to accept pre-booked fares within the London area. The incident took place on Friday, 23 August, the first main day of the festival. He initially denied the charges during questioning but later pleaded guilty to plying for hire at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, 7 February.
The court fined Manj £576 for the offence. He was also ordered to pay £800 in prosecution costs and a £230 victim surcharge, bringing the total penalties to £1,603.
Councillor John Ennis, lead for transport at Reading Borough Council, praised the collaborative effort of the licensing officers. "This is a positive result thanks to the joint efforts of Reading Licensing officers in partnership with our colleagues in Fareham and South Oxfordshire," he stated.
"Partnership working like this is more important than ever to uphold the high standards expected of private hire drivers and to ensure the safety of our travelling public."
Ennis added, "I’d like to sincerely thank the officers from Fareham and South Oxfordshire for their assistance with this prosecution.”
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