Out-of-area Newcastle private hire driver fined for illegally plying for hire in County Durham
- Perry Richardson
- May 4
- 2 min read
A Newcastle-based private hire driver has been ordered to pay over £800 after he was caught illegally picking up passengers in County Durham without a pre-booking.
Babar Shahzad was prosecuted by Durham County Council following reports of private hire vehicles from outside the county operating illegally. Shahzad, licensed by Newcastle City Council, was found to be accepting passengers without a booking – an offence under taxi licensing laws.
Private hire vehicles must only carry passengers who have pre-arranged a journey through a licensed operator. Unlike hackney carriages, they cannot legally pick up fares directly from the street or taxi ranks.
Peterlee Magistrates' Court heard that during a test purchase operation in Chester-le-Street, two council officers approached Shahzad’s vehicle and asked for a journey. Shahzad accepted a £10 cash fare without checking if a booking had been made.
The incident was captured on surveillance equipment. It showed Shahzad taking payment and providing a journey without any reference to a booking.
Checks confirmed that the vehicle was registered as a private hire car under Newcastle City Council and was only insured for pre-booked journeys. Shahzad was found guilty of plying for hire without a hackney carriage licence and driving without valid insurance.
He was given eight points on his licence and ordered to pay a £200 fine, £555 in costs and an £80 victim surcharge – totalling £835.
Ian Harrison, Durham County Council, Business Compliance Manager, said: "There is an important legal distinction between hackney carriages and private hire vehicles in order to keep the public safe.
"Hackney carriages are identifiable by their official taxi signage and council-issued plates and are licensed and insured to pick up passengers without a prior booking. In contrast, private hire vehicles must be pre-booked through a licensed operator and are not permitted to pick up passengers directly from the roadside or ranks."
