REVOKED: Buckinghamshire taxi driver loses licence court appeal and must pay nearly £7,000 in costs
- Perry Richardson
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Buckinghamshire Council has secured a court victory after magistrates backed its decision to revoke a hackney carriage driver’s licence over concerns about his driving. The ruling reinforces the authority’s stance on prioritising passenger safety when assessing taxi and private hire drivers.
The council revoked the licence of Malik Paracha in March 2025 after officers identified several motoring offences on his record. A subsequent investigation highlighted what the council described as a clear decline in his driving standards, prompting concerns about his suitability to continue working as a licensed driver.
Mr Paracha appealed the decision, but on 17 November 2025 the Magistrates’ Court upheld the revocation. The court found that his driving offences, a recent collision and his explanations around those incidents pointed to a pattern of deteriorating behaviour that did not meet the high threshold required under the council’s licensing policy.
The court concluded that the cumulative evidence indicated a risk to public safety and dismissed the appeal in full. Magistrates also ordered Mr Paracha to pay the council’s costs totalling £6,805.52.
Magistrates rule that multiple motoring offences and a recent collision showed standards had fallen below licensing expectations
Buckinghamshire Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy states that any motoring conviction is treated as a serious matter. While the council acknowledges that occasional minor offences can occur, repeated failures are taken as evidence that a driver is not meeting the professional responsibilities expected of them.
The authority said the case reflected its ongoing commitment to maintaining safety standards across the sector. The ruling also offers further clarity to operators and drivers that licensing bodies are likely to take firm action where patterns of unsafe behaviour emerge.
Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Service, said: "The safety and wellbeing of the public is of paramount importance to Buckinghamshire Council. It is in the best interests of the taxi and private hire trade that the public have confidence in the safety of licensed vehicles and of those driving them and we therefore remain committed to applying our policies robustly. This includes ensuring that only those individuals who are deemed fit and proper hold licences.
“Our firm stance on motoring offences reflects our dedication to safeguarding passengers and maintaining the highest standards of safety within our community."
