A private hire driver has been banned from driving for six months and ordered to pay thousands of pounds after an undercover Reading Borough Council investigation into an illegal airport transfer.
The case began after licensing officers received information in February 2025. As part of the investigation, an undercover journey was arranged from the Pentahotel on Oxford Road in Reading to Gatwick Airport.
Reading Borough Council said Saleem Raza arrived for the booking on 14 February 2025 in a white Mercedes. Officers established that the vehicle was not insured for private hire use. After the officers identified themselves, Raza drove away.
At Reading Magistrates’ Court on 4 August 2026, Raza was found guilty of using a motor vehicle without insurance and acting as a private hire driver without a licence. He was fined £750 with a £300 surcharge for acting as a private hire driver without a licence, and £180 with a £72 surcharge for using a vehicle without insurance.
The council said Raza had previously been convicted in April 2024 of plying for hire without insurance. In the latest case he received a six-month driving disqualification and was ordered to pay a total of £3,697, including fines, surcharges and prosecution costs, with 12 months allowed for payment.
For legitimate private hire operators, the case is a reminder of how important proper licensing, insurance and booking records are. Operators looking for an affordable way to manage bookings, customers and drivers can also look at DM Taxi Assistant.
For passengers, the case underlines why private hire journeys must be properly pre-booked through a licensed operator, with the correct driver, vehicle and insurance arrangements in place.
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Reading Borough Council – Private Hire Driver Fined and Banned Following Repeated Illegal Operating
