A private hire taxi driver has been fined more than £1,600 after being caught illegally offering to pick up passengers near Reading Festival in a sting operation conducted by local council licensing officers.
Hammad Ashraf Khan Manj, of Railway Terrace, Slough, was caught on August 23 last year—the first main day of the festival—attempting to take passengers from Tessa Road to Slough train station for £35. However, the supposed passengers were undercover licensing officers.
Manj, who was licensed by Transport for London (TfL), was only permitted to accept pre-booked fares within the London area. His actions breached regulations, as private hire drivers are not allowed to pick up passengers on the spot without a prior booking.
Despite initially denying wrongdoing, Manj later pleaded guilty to the offence of plying for hire at Reading Magistrates’ Court on February 7. He was fined £576, ordered to pay £800 in prosecution costs, and received a £230 victim surcharge, bringing the total financial penalty to £1,603.
The prosecution was the result of a collaborative enforcement effort by licensing officers from Reading Borough Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, and Fareham Borough Council.
Councillor John Ennis, lead member for climate strategy and transport at Reading Borough Council, praised the joint effort, stating:
“This is a positive result thanks to the joint efforts of Reading Licensing officers in partnership with our colleagues in Fareham and South Oxfordshire. Partnership working like this is more important than ever to uphold the high standards expected of private hire drivers and to ensure the safety of our travelling public.”
He also emphasised the importance of passenger safety, particularly during the Reading Festival weekend, which attracts over 100,000 visitors.
Under UK law, only hackney carriage drivers with the appropriate licence are legally allowed to pick up passengers without prior booking. Those who do so illegally risk fines of up to £2,500.
Source: Reading Chronicles
