An Oldham-based private hire driver has been fined more than £1,200 after being caught illegally waiting in a Trafford Council taxi rank and accepting a fare from an undercover officer.
Anees Arif, 52, from Lees in Oldham, was spotted by enforcement officers on Barton Dock Road near the Trafford Centre. His blue Kia EV6 Horizon, licensed by Sefton Council, was parked in a designated Hackney Carriage rank reserved exclusively for Trafford-licensed black cabs.
In a planned operation, a Trafford Council officer approached Arif posing as a passenger and asked for a ride to Altrincham. A fare of £13 was agreed before the officer identified themselves and reported the offence.
Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Arif admitted he knew he was acting unlawfully. He attempted to justify his actions by saying the fare he offered was lower than Uber’s and was merely a “gesture of help.”
However, he pleaded guilty to four offences: illegally waiting in a Hackney Carriage rank, unlawfully accepting a fare, operating without insurance, and failing to display his driver’s badge.
Despite expressing remorse, Arif was ordered to pay a £576 fine, £230 victim surcharge, and £420 in court costs, totalling £1,226. He was also given six penalty points on his driving licence, bringing him to a total of 12. He avoided disqualification due to exceptional circumstances accepted by the court.
Cllr Rose Thompson, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Communities and Safety, praised the enforcement effort:
“This is another great result thanks to our Licensing Enforcement Team. Our officers are continually out in the community, ensuring that standards are maintained, and the law is complied with.
The case sends a clear message that we are here to support our taxi trade, and anyone found contravening the regulations will be held accountable.”
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