A taxi driver who drove away to evade a routine licensing inspection outside Milton Keynes Central Station has been fined in court.
Karl Stamper, who was licensed by Cambridge City Council, was waiting for business at Station Square on 1 May 2024 when he was approached by a Milton Keynes City Council licensing officer. Instead of cooperating, Stamper refused to engage and promptly drove off, the court heard.
Milton Keynes City Council, which oversees local taxi licensing, pursued legal action against him. He pleaded guilty to obstructing an authorised officer and was ordered to pay a total of £710.
A council spokesperson described the checks as a standard procedure: “The incident took place at Station Square during routine taxi and private hire licensing checks. The driver refused to co-operate, got into his vehicle, and drove away. Mr Stamper was later invited for an interview with Milton Keynes City Council to explain his actions, but he declined the invitation.”
Following the court’s ruling, Cambridge City Council is set to review Stamper’s hackney carriage licence, which could impact his ability to operate as a taxi driver.
Cllr Mick Legg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, emphasised the importance of such inspections, stating: “We don’t carry these inspections out for the sake of it – they ensure that all taxi drivers have the appropriate licence to carry passengers. This could have been easily avoided if the driver had simply complied, as he was obliged to do. My thanks go to our licensing officers who regularly carry out checks to keep everyone safe.”
