Mini-cab company gets hefty fine for a six pound fare

A £6 fare turned into thousands of pounds worth of fines and costs for a Slough-based mini-cab service.

511 Viking Cars has admitted to sending Osman Ahmed, who did not hold a private hire driver’s licence, to pick up a woman from Wexham Park Hospital on October 23 last year.

Ahmed claimed to have forgotten his ID badge and driver call sign when he was stopped at the junction of Hornbeam Gardens and Upton Road by police and council officers in his silver Toyota Avensis during routine checks.

However follow-up checks confirmed Ahmed was unlicensed.

The woman had called the service’s Slough number but the driver was dispatched from its Windsor office.

By law the company is only allowed to use drivers and vehicles licensed in Slough.

Company director Saeed Ahmed, 54, of Salt Hill Way, Slough, admitted using an unlicensed driver and vehicle at Slough Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 19.

He was ordered to pay £1,788 - £750 in fines, £1,000 costs and a £38 victim surcharge.

511 Viking Cars was fined £1,300 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs, plus a £65 victim surcharge.

Ahmed, 32, of Adelaide Close, Slough, also pleaded guilty and was fined £500. He must pay £600 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Mick Sims, licensing manager for Slough Borough Council, said: “Licensing rules are there for the primary reason of protecting the public. To flout them in this manner is totally unacceptable and we simply won’t tolerate it.

“It begs the question whether it was all worth it for such a small fare of £6.”

source: http://www.sloughexpress.co.uk/