Seven private hire car drivers have been fined a combined total of more than £3,000 for illegally trying to pick up passengers.
Mudassir Nazar, Abdul Shahid and Poitr Maciez Szuszakiewicz, from A1 Taxis; Salman Choudhury and Rajesh Mistry, from Star Cars; Michael Cooper, from Mayfair Cars; and Dominik Izbinski, from Usher Cars, were each fined at least £400 after they were caught in a sting operation by Northampton Borough Council.

Each of the seven drivers was summoned to Northampton Magistrates Court earlier this month for illegally plying for trade, driving without insurance and, in some cases, not displaying the correct badge or documentation.

A private hire driver will invalidate their insurance if they pick up any passenger who has not pre-booked their journey.

Since October last year, Northampton Borough Council, supported by Northamptonshire Police, has run regular checks to catch any private hire driver who is prepared to risk breaking the law by taking unauthorised fares.

Councillor Brian Hoare (Lib Dem, Abington), Northampton Borough Council's cabinet member for performance said: "The safety and protection of the public is paramount, and we want people to get to their destination safely.

"I would hate to think what would happen if there was an accident involving an uninsured driver.

"It is unacceptable for any driver to be on the roads without insurance, more so when you think of an uninsured taxi with passengers. I would advise anyone to either book a private hire vehicle through a company or use one of the town's many black cabs which do not need to be pre-booked."

Cooper, Choudhury and Shahid were sentenced on June 6 while Nazar, Szuszakiewicz, Mistry and Izbinski were sentenced on June 13.

Cooper, Choudhury and Shahid had to pay costs of £75 while Nazar, Szuszakiewicz, Mistry and Izbinski had to pay costs of £200. All paid a victim surcharge of £15.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/SEVEN-Cabbies-fined-for-illegal.4210389.jp