London minicab driver hit with 6 penalty points and fine for illegally plying for hire at Heathrow

Image credit: Lewis Clarke

A Transport for London (TfL) licensed private hire driver has been fined £512 and issued six penalty points after pleading guilty to the offence of plying for hire.

Officers stopped the driver at London's Heathrow Airport in April 2020, where they found them to be picking up a fare that had not been pre-booked.

Along with the offence of illegally plying for hire, the driver was also guilty of operating without insurance, accepting a fare without an operator licence, and driving a private hire vehicle without wearing a private hire driver's badge.

The driver pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court. The result has been highlighted on the Metropolitan Police Roads and Transport official Twitter account.

A spokesperson for the force said: "TfLTPH PHV driver stopped at Heathrow in April 2020 pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court to plying for hire, no insurance, accept a PHV booking without operator's licence & not wearing a PHV driver's badge.

"6 penalty points & £512 in fines."

It is not clear if the offender still holds a London licensed private hire licence.