Reading taxi driver fined
He picked up a fare without a prior booking
A Reading taxi driver must pay over £1,000 for illegally taking a £6 job without a booking.
Omer Malik, of Lamerton Road in Whitley, was found to have taken a driving job without a booking in Caversham on March 8, 2019.
Malik was stung by a Reading Borough Council officer, who asked him to for a £6 ride through the town.
Although Malik has a joint Hackney Carriage & Private Hire licence with South Oxfordshire District Council, he is not allowed to ‘ply for hire’ in Reading.
Only black cab ‘hackney carriage’ drivers allowed to pick up passengers without a booking according to licensing rules.
Drivers who don’t have the required licence but take passengers on anyway are illegally ‘plying for hire’ and will face prosecution if caught.
Cllr Tony Page, Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, explained:
“This is another great result from the Council’s licensing team, who work hard to ensure regulations are in force to protect the travelling public.
“If a licensed private hire operator picks up a customer without a prior and formal booking they are not insured for the journey, and are acting illegally.”
Malik must pay a total of £1,130 after being found guilty of plying for hire at a hearing at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, March 4.
Of that amount, Malik has to pay £1000 in legal costs, a £100 fine, and a £300 victim surcharge.