Taxi drivers convicted after clamp-down
Date Published : 02 July 2008
A taxi driver was banned from driving for two weeks by Walsall magistrates after being caught in a Walsall Council licensing operation.
Sajid Iqbal, aged 34, of Tantarra Street, Walsall was also fined £300 and ordered to pay £503 costs with a £15 victim surcharge.
The private hire driver admitted a single count plying for hire in Walsall town centre on October 6 last year.
Mohammed Titu Zaman Choudhury, aged 37, of Reeves Street, Bloxwich was fined £300 and ordered to pay £382 costs.
Irman Khan, 34, of Lansdowne Road, Handsworth was fined £250 with £413 costs.
Choudhury and Khan admitted plying for hire in Walsall on December 8.
All three were also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge by the court.
Councillor Rachel Walker, Walsall Council cabinet member for environment, said: “We would applaud the verdict of the court that has punished these three for a clear breach of the law. Yet again this sends out the message that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated from drivers.”
“As a private hire driver they can only take people on pre-booked journeys. They can’t stop the car in law to pick-up anyone who has not booked.”
All three drivers were caught when they stopped in the street and offered to take a fare from an undercover officer.
Walsall Council staff stage regular initiatives to help keep the taxi trade in the town as safe as possible.
Contact us
People with complaints about private hire vehicles or taxis can contact Walsall Council’s licensing enforcement team on 01922 652246.