Accrington private hire driver PROSECUTED for illegally picking up fares in Blackpool
- Perry Richardson
- 16 minutes ago
- 2 min read
An Accrington private hire driver has been prosecuted after unlawfully picking up passengers in Blackpool during a council enforcement operation targeting illegal taxi activity.
Danyal Masood, 31, Accrington, pleaded guilty at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on 28 April to offences of plying for hire and driving without valid insurance for the journey. He was handed eight penalty points on his driving licence, fined £300, ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge and £725 in costs.
The prosecution was brought by Blackpool Council following a series of spot-check operations aimed at tackling illegal ranking by private hire drivers. Illegal ranking refers to private hire vehicles unlawfully accepting passengers directly from the street or taxi ranks without a pre-booking through a licensed operator.
According to the council, enforcement officers posing as customers approached Masood’s vehicle and he agreed to take the fare despite not being licensed to do so. Officers then intercepted the vehicle at a pre-arranged location and dealt with the offence.
Private hire driver fined and handed penalty points after Blackpool Council enforcement sting targeting illegal ranking
Councillor Paula Burdess, cabinet member for community safety, street scene and neighbourhoods, said taxi licensing rules were designed to protect public safety and ensure operators compete fairly within the law.
Burdess said: “The rules around taxi licensing exist to protect the public – if you get in a car that isn’t licensed for your journey it’s not insured, so if there’s an accident you’re at higher risk.
“This crackdown was about ensuring residents and visitors are safe when using taxis in our town, and also about ensuring the playing field is fair and level for all operators.
“It’s reassuring that our officers found the vast majority of operators to be working within the bounds of the law and their licences.”
