A Stockton driver has been stripped of his taxi/private hire licence following a series of incidents, including a hit-and-run, intimidation, littering and driving at police.

The driver, whose name has not been disclosed, initially denied involvement in a hit-and-run incident, claiming to be asleep at home at the time. However, he later changed his story, admitting to being the driver but denying the collision and any attempt to evade witnesses, despite CCTV evidence to the contrary.

He later said he had been lying and "waffling" to cover up for his son who was really driving his car without his knowledge while he was in bed on April 2. 

In another incident, the driver was accused of littering and intimidating a member of the public. He admitted to littering but denied any aggressive behaviour. The complainant, however, testified that the driver followed her home and took a photo of her house, leaving her feeling intimidated.

The final complaint concerned CCTV "showing a private hire vehicle involved in facilitating drug dealing". According to Cleveland Police officers, the car was "driven towards the police car at speed and then on to a footpath to get away" when confronted in the early hours of May 15.

The driver's car was identified and his PH licence suspended the next day. He confirmed he was the sole driver of the vehicle, but told police his son - who did not have a full licence and was learning to drive - was behind the wheel at the time, claiming to be taking it to McDonald's. He said he now took his keys upstairs to stop it happening again.

A licensing committee hearing concluded that the driver's explanations for the various incidents were "dubious" and "insincere." The panel expressed concern about his attitude, rule-breaking behaviour, and his ability to ensure the safety of his passengers.

The committee heard of his PH licence history, including a suspension because of a fraud prosecution in 2004, advice over his attitude and overcharging and written warnings for using a phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, failing to declare a motoring conviction and a shoplifting conviction revealed in a DBS check between 2007 and 2014.

The committee ultimately decided he was not a fit and proper person and revoked the driver's licence, citing his "intimidating and distressing behaviour" towards the witness and his history of disciplinary issues.

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Over 200 people have signed a petition calling for taxi drivers to be granted access to bus lanes along Reading's A33 Basingstoke Road.

The A33 is a major north-south route, and the council's South Reading Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project has introduced bus lanes to improve journey times.

Currently, only buses can use these lanes bit there is a push for hackney carriages to be allowed access as well.

Asif Rashid, chairman of the Reading Taxi Association, presented the petition to the council in June, arguing that the lanes are often empty and that allowing taxis would be beneficial.

However, the council's highways team has recommended against the change, citing concerns about safety hazards, as bus stops along the route lack laybys, potentially forcing taxis to swerve into traffic to avoid buses.

The final decision on the petition will be made at a council meeting on 27 November.

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Buckinghamshire Council has refused licences to taxi drivers over serious offences including sex crimes, drug use and using mobile phones while driving.

In the year to September 30, 2024, 53 cabbie applications were rejected, more than double the previous year's figure of 20.

The council's principal licensing officer, Simon Gallacher, said: "Although this represents only four per cent of total applications, it highlights the importance of maintaining high standards."

Common reasons for refusal included:

• Motoring offences: Driving without insurance and using mobile phones.
• Dishonesty: Failing to disclose offences and providing false information.
• Criminal convictions: Sex offences, drug possession, knife possession, burglary, theft, battery, fraud, dangerous driving, speeding, and licensing offences.
• DVLA disqualifications.

The council successfully defended itself in six out of seven driver appeals, with costs awarded in several cases.

In addition to licence refusals, 26 drivers had their licences revoked, and ten vehicle licences were revoked including for motoring offences, such as using phones at the wheel and driving under the influence of drugs.

Violence offences, including one murder investigation and arrests for assault and criminal damage, were among the other reasons.

Dishonesty, such as failing to notify authorities of arrests, convictions, or changes in personal details, was also a ‘significant factor’, according to the council’s annual report.

Other grounds included safeguarding concerns, medical unfitness to drive, and ‘serious concerns’ over driving standards and judgement.

Meanwhile, ten vehicle licences were revoked during the period, most of which were due to taxis sustaining ‘significant damage’ in accidents.

The licensing service received 310 online complaints in the year to September 30, 2024, slightly less than the 335 received during the previous 12-month reporting period.

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A cabbie has been jailed after his own dashcam recorded him sexually assaulting a female passenger.

Police say Imran Yaseen targeted the woman at about 11pm on 14 February after picking her up in Nottingham city centre. 

The victim, a woman in her 30s, was sittting in the front passenger seat when the 40-year-old began making inappropriate comments and touching her leg.

Nottinghamshire Police said he later pulled over near Clifton and subjected the woman to a serious sexual assault.

Yaseen was arrested the following day after the taxi firm identified him.

His car was then seized along with an internal facing dashboard camera installed to protect him and other drivers from harm, the force said.

When officers downloaded the footage, they were able to see and hear the entire incident.

Yaseen, from Bilborough, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault at Nottingham Crown Court in March.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday 14 November he was jailed for 16 months and added to the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention notice that will prevent him from driving a taxi when he is released from prison and placed on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

PC Tom Gregory said: "This was an opportunist assault on a vulnerable female passenger and I am pleased Yaseen has now been jailed.

"The victim in this case put her trust in him to take her home safely and he utterly abused that trust by subjecting her to a prolonged sexual assault.

“Thanks to the evidence contained on his own dashcam camera, he had little option but to plead guilty and will now spend a significant amount of time in time in prison."

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Midlothian Council has relaxed its strict rules on tinted windows, acknowledging concerns from local drivers.

The previous regulations required taxi windows to meet a specific light transmission level, which often clashed with the factory-fitted windows of newer vehicles.

This forced drivers to incur significant costs to replace the windows, as highlighted by the Midlothian Taxi Owners Association.

The association argued that the stringent rules were outdated and unnecessary, particularly given the advancements in vehicle technology. They emphasised the financial burden and potential safety implications of replacing factory-fitted windows.

In a letter to the council's general purposes chairperson Councillor David Virgo, the association said: "We feel a relaxation of the strict vehicle window tinting requirements would form best practice and save operators money and improve safety.

"We recently had an owner change the rear windows in their vehicle to meet requirements. This cost was in excess of £2k. Unless you own a 'window tint light meter', then it's often very difficult, if not impossible, to tell if windows are compliant or not when purchasing a vehicle for use as a private hire."

In response to these concerns, the council has adjusted the regulations.

The new rules now require a minimum light transmission level of 65% for rear windows, excluding tailgate glass, a more lenient standard than the previous 70%.

Councilors acknowledged the changing landscape of the taxi industry and the need for regulations to adapt to modern vehicle designs.

The committee unanimously approved the changes to the regulations.

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