FARE STING: Cabbie hit with £2,300 bill after council catches them overcharging
- Perry Richardson
- 2 minutes ago
- 1 min read
A Luton taxi driver has been fined after being found guilty of overcharging a passenger during a covert test purchase conducted by Central Bedfordshire Council.
Nazik Sabir was convicted of failing to use his taxi meter and charging more than the metered fare during the enforcement operation in September 2025. The case was brought by Central Bedfordshire Council as part of its compliance and licensing activity within the private hire and hackney carriage sector.
According to the council, the offence came to light following a planned sting operation designed to assess compliance to fare regulations. Licensed hackney carriage drivers are required to use their meters for journeys within the controlled district, with fares calculated in line with the tariff set by the local authority.
When interviewed under caution, Sabir confirmed he remembered the journey in question but denied overcharging the officers involved in the operation.
Central Bedfordshire Council secures conviction following test purchase operation in September 2025
Sabir did not attend the subsequent court hearing. The court found him guilty and imposed a fine of £220. He was also ordered to pay £2,141.55 in costs, bringing the total financial penalty to £2,361.55.
Cllr Tracey Wye said: “Licensed taxi drivers are trusted to charge passengers fairly and in line with the law. This prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate drivers who abuse that trust by failing to use their meter or overcharging customers.
“Our test purchasing programme is an important tool in protecting the public and ensuring a level playing field for the vast majority of drivers who operate honestly and professionally.”
