A taxi driver once investigated over allegations of sexual harassment and grooming a young passenger has lost his private hire licence as councillors were not satisfied with his explanations.
TeessideLive reports that police officers had taken no further action on any of the allegations.
However a Stockton Council committee did not believe the unnamed motorist was a "fit and proper person" to hold a combined hackney carriage and private hire vehicle driver's licence.
He was investigated by police several years ago over alleged grooming of a child passenger, including giving the young person free lifts and having contact with them over social media, according to minutes of a licensing committee meeting. The police took no further action in this investigation.
He told licensing officers he "did not groom her in that way", the minutes state. But the licensing committee "did not feel that [the driver] was credible in response to their questioning" and found his "lack of insight into his inappropriate behaviour... very concerning".
More recently, the driver's hackney carriage and private hire licence was suspended while he was under another investigation by Cleveland Police.
The minutes say he had renewed his taxi licence without telling the authorities of the investigation.
Officers had looked into his mobile phone use while investigating "sexually malicious phone calls". The police took no further action in the sexual harassment and malicious communications probe too, as they found they were unable to prove any offence beyond reasonable doubt.
Officers could not prove or disprove whether he had the phone at the time because of the alibi he gave, which was likely to be supported and validated.
The licensing committee, considering the allegations on a lower standard of proof, said the motorist "appeared disingenuous" under questioning. They found he was "obstructive and uncooperative" with its officers and did not attend interviews.
He told councillors he did not know of the malicious communications or who had made the complaint.
He was quoted as saying: "Obviously, somebody's probably used my phone. I don’t know what’s happened to be honest." He added he did not know who had made the calls as he had so many friends: "It definitely wasn’t me. I know that 100%."
The committee said he admitted owning the telephone and it was his number but he had no idea who had made such calls, some made through the night. They found his explanation "dubious". He said he had let customers use his phone.
If they haven’t got credit, they need to ring somebody in an emergency, or whatever, I do give them my phone," he added. "I don't think there’s anything wrong with that, is there?"
He said he had only one phone, but had given five different numbers to licensing officers, said the committee. Questioned about this, he said the numbers changed because he had lost phones and been subjected to scams.
His licence had previously been suspended and revoked, he was given written warnings and had nine points on his licence for failing to give driver information.
He said he did not go to a driver improvement course because he was going through financial hardship with a family to support, had "a lot of things going on" and "obviously it's just slipped out of my head".
He was quoted as saying: "I've never had any complaints from customers. They’ve always said nice things about me. I’ve always helped them out."
The licensing committee said it was "not satisfied that they would allow people for whom they care to enter a vehicle with [the driver] due to their doubts surrounding his explanation of the circumstances that led to him being investigated by the police.
The committee felt that this was compounded by [his] concerning history as a licensed driver."
The committee was "unanimously satisfied" his hackney carriage and private hire vehicle driver's licence should be revoked.
Source: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/disingenuous-taxi-driver-loses-licence-29295954
A man who used the Jersey Lifts Facebook group to pick up passengers has been cleared of operating an illegal taxi service following a one-day trial.
But Lughano Mogha, 39, was fined £1,200 in the Magistrate’s Court for overloading his car and driving using a provisional licence without supervision.
The Jersey Evening Post reports that Mogha was stopped by States police officers twice in 2023.
Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, said that on 8 July he was found with four passengers in the back seat that only had space for three, and with a provisional licence.
The second time Mogha was stopped, in the early hours of 26 November, one of the passengers first pretended to know the driver before admitting to police officers that he had been using Jersey Lifts. By this point, Mogha had passed his driving test and had a full licence.
In a subsequent police interview, Mogha explained that his family were facing financial difficulties and that this was why he used Jersey Lifts.
Mogha pleaded guilty to driving on a provisional licence without supervision and overloading his car, but denied operating an illegal taxi service.
During the trial, Advocate Taylor said that it would make “no financial sense” to offer lifts without prior arrangements for passengers to pay.
Mogha responded: “No, that’s not true. I was operating the way Jersey Lifts operates. I was doing it the way everyone else does it.”
Jersey Lifts was a community, the defendant argued, where people paid whatever amount they felt they owed the driver.
Mogha argued that his Facebook messages, which he admitted deleting, would have shown that he had no financial agreements with his passengers.
Advocate Taylor said: “It is not believable that he was giving lifts without financial agreement.
“Why was he giving people lifts? In the hope that someone would pay him? It just makes no sense.
“This was a business arrangement. He needed extra money and this was a way of getting extra money.”
Advocate Greg Herold-Howes, defending, argued that for Mogha to be liable, he would have needed to have a financial agreement in place and make a profit, and that there was no evidence of an existing agreement.
“This all turns on whether he was driving a cab to the eyes of the law,” Advocate Herold-Howes said. “There is no evidence that there is such an agreement.”
He pointed out that investigating officers had not kept Mogha’s phone to search for unsent Facebook messages and that legitimate ride-sharing, where passengers contribute to the cost of a trip, was legal.
One of the passengers who was in Mogha’s car in November told the court that he had met Mogha via the “Jersey Lifts 2.0” Facebook page – but that he could not remember whether there had been a financial agreement, either ahead of time on Facebook or verbally in the car.
He did, however, say he would normally expect to pay around £10 for a Jersey Lifts ride.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw, who was presiding, found Mogha not guilty of the two charges of operating an illegal taxi following a one-day trial.
She fined him £600 for each of the two charges to which he pleaded guilty, to be paid within two months.
Glasgow City Council has apologised after a car was abandoned on the taxi rank outside Central Station for four days.
GlasgowLive reports that a contractor had to be hired to remove the vehicle, which had first been ticketed on Friday morning, 31 June, as the council’s only Low Emission Zone compliant uplifter was unavailable.
The car was eventually removed on Tuesday after the problem was flagged on social media.
A spokesman for Unite the union’s Glasgow Cab Section said the council “told the taxi trade we’d had long enough to prepare for the LEZ when they hadn’t done so themselves.
"On top of that they left an abandoned car on a taxi rank outside Scotland’s busiest train stations for four days. Surely a security risk in itself.”
The union posted photos of the car on social media and said it “seemed to go viral” and “suddenly a sub-contractor turned up to remove it”.
A council spokeswoman said: “The vehicle has been removed and we apologise for the delay.
“The council has one LEZ compliant uplift vehicle as part of our fleet, which is entirely proportionate given the zone area covers one square mile.
“In the event our own vehicle is unavailable, an external contractor is authorised to uplift vehicles on our behalf.”
The union has previously said the city’s LEZ is forcing hundreds of taxis off the road as many vehicles aren’t compliant.
The council has said the trade has had enough time to prepare and has been supported through the process.
Source: https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/car-abandoned-glasgow-central-taxi-29296949
A driver has been ordered to pay nearly £800 after operating in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) without a licence.
WalesOnline reports that Liam Downes, of Church Village, was illegally plying for hire in Pontypridd last year and has been hit with fines and costs of £775 having pleaded guilty at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, May 8.
On Sunday, August 13, 2023 in the early hours of the morning, he parked near Pontypridd train station waiting for the public to leave the nearby pubs and clubs.
He was approached by a licensing officer and agreed to take them to a drop off point for a fee.
A spokesperson for the licensing department in Rhondda Cynon Taf said: “Public safety and confidence to use regulated and licensed taxis is of utmost importance.
Licensed drivers and vehicles go through rigorous checks to ensure they meet standards in place to protect the needs and safety of the public.
“Unlicensed drivers who undermine that trust will be robustly dealt with to maintain public confidence and ensure public safety.
Hackney carriages licensed within Rhondda Cynon Taf are black in colour and are provided with a council issued plate on the rear showing the maximum number of passengers and door signs on each side of the front doors.
“Drivers who are licensed by the council are also issued with a badge which they must show customers when asked.
"I would encourage anyone with information on unlicensed taxi drivers or unlicensed vehicles operating in Rhondda Cynon Taf to contact the council’s licensing team.”
Source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/fake-taxi-driver-hung-around-29291387
Dozens of taxi drivers based at Aberdeen International Airport are refusing to work in protest over a new £7 charge for customers, after talks over the changes broke down.
BBC News reports that the drivers, who are self-employed, previously paid about £200 a week to gain access to the airport rank, with a £5 surcharge for all customers.
However the drivers said this had all now been swapped to a £7 charge which is added to the meter and can be passed on to passengers.
Aberdeen International Airport said it had plans in place to minimise the impact on customers, and has asked for patience if queues are longer than normal.
The dispute involves about 60 taxi drivers, and many held a protest near the airport on Monday 3 June.
Driver Gus McDonald told BBC Scotland News: “We think it’s extortionate. We feel like the airport are looking at the taxi drivers as debt collectors.
“These poor people have had their holidays, they’re coming back through, they’re finished with the airport, they’re getting into my car, and I’m saying 'oh by the way, the airport would like another £7 please'.
“It’s just not on.”
Talks had been taking place with the airport over the situation but have broken down. The drivers are also unhappy about changes to their working patterns.
“We want to see the surcharge scrapped completely,” Mr McDonald added.
“We’re quite happy to pay the airport for the privilege of picking up – it’s fine, it’s our choice.
“But if we don’t make a stand now, we don’t know where it’s going to go from here. It’s going to go up and up and up.”
The Unite union represents around 45 of the taxi drivers, and have said that they will refuse to work for “as long as it takes”.
Regional officer Vic Fraser said: “The taxi drivers are really frustrated that the airport is not listening to their concerns, and this will have a knock-on effect on the customers.
“These taxi drivers are available and willing to work, but the airport is stopping them from working.
“So I would ask the public to voice their concerns about why taxis are not available.”
Aberdeen International Airport said in a statement: “We have plans in place to minimise the impact on customer service.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience in any circumstance where a longer than the normal wait time is experienced.”
Ways of increasing the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis across the city are set to be explored to make it easier for those who need one to get one.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
A Conwy Council meeting on Monday revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose license had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
A proposal to increase driver, vehicle and private hire operator licences was discussed on Friday 19 July 19 at Sheffield City Council’s waste and street scene committee.
Through this collaboration, FREENOW willl provide additional benefits giving drivers up to 25% off pay-as-you-go rates across the entire bp pulse electric charging network and discounted fuel at all UK bp branded sites.
Wakefield Licensing, working alongside West Yorks Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team, Police Intercept Team, DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park.
A pilot emissions reduction grant scheme providing financial support for hackney carriage drivers to upgrade to cleaner EURO 6 and fully battery powered vehicles has been launched.
The ride-hailing giant has submitted an application for an operator licence to Darlington Borough Council, with a decision expected in August.
Darlington could soon see Uber cars on its streets after the ride-hailing giant applied for a licence to operate in the town.
Stratford-upon-Avon District Council has revoked the licences of two taxi drivers following a series of speeding offences.
A Northampton taxi driver has been found guilty of trafficking cocaine between his home city and Milford Haven.
The move comes after concerns were raised by the taxi industry about the rising cost of purchasing new vehicles.
Guide Dogs charity has asked licensing authorities in England for their support in sharing guidance on the law on carrying guide or other assistance dogs with all taxi and private hire operators.
Reading Taxi Association (RTA) chairman Asif Rashid has slammed Reading Borough Council's proposed phase-out of older petrol and diesel cabs by 2028, calling it a financial burden for drivers.
Dorset Council is poised to review taxi fares across the region, excluding Weymouth and Portland which have separate regulations.
A North Belfast man, Ruairi Fintan Muldoon (31), has been sentenced to 12 months in prison with an additional 12 months on supervised release for a botched attempt to rob a taxi driver.
Passengers are been invited to take part in a survey aimed at finding out if the taxi trade in West Suffolk is accessible to all.
A Glasgow man, Darren Gray, 31, launched into a verbal tirade and racially abused a taxi driver on Paisley Road West on August 19th, 2022.