Taxi drivers fined for 'blagging' in Milton Keynes

Two more drivers have been prosecuted for blagging in Milton Keynes

MK Magistrates heard the two cases on Friday after a joint enforcement operation carried out by MK Council and South Northants Council in December 2017.

Selvanayagam Jeevakumar of Turnmill Avenue, Springfield, Milton Keynes attended court and pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid motor insurance in December 2017. He was fined £84 for plying for hire and £168 for invalid insurance. He was also given 6 DVLA penalty points and has to pay costs of £400, with a victim surcharge of £30.

At the time of the offence(s) his vehicle was operated by Speedline.

Mr Jeevakumar was previously licensed by Aylesbury Vale District Council who revoked his licence in May 2018.

Muhammed Muddasar Zulfiqar of Windsor Street, Wolverton attended court and pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid motor insurance in December 2017. He was fined £116 for plying for hire and £232 for invalid insurance. He was also given 6 DVLA penalty points and has to pay costs of £400, with a victim surcharge of £30.

At the time of the offence(s) his vehicle was operated by Speedline. Mr Zulfiqar is licensed by South Northants Council who will take appropriate action concerning his licence.

Four other licensed drivers also attended court for taxi licensing offences and their cases were adjourned.

The court heard how officers, acting as members of the public, engaged the drivers on journeys which had not been pre-booked from one location to another in Milton Keynes.

Investigations by council officers showed that the vehicles were not lawfully pre-booked for these journeys.

Coucillor Catriona Morris, chair of the council’s Taxi Licensing Committee, said: “The laws and licensing standards that we enforce are in place to ensure that passengers are safe. The public needs to be aware that if they use private hire vehicles without booking in advance then the vehicle will not be insured if an accident occurs. I would like to thank South Northants Council for their support in these joint operations.”