SEVEN men fined and convicted for plying-for-hire offences after TWO HOUR operation in Staffordshire

A total of SEVEN private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers have been fined after being convicted of plying for trade illegally in Staffordshire.

The men, aged between 22 and 49, all from the Stoke-on-Trent area, appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre in March this year after each pleading guilty to two offences: plying for hire when not licensed and driving without insurance.

The court heard how the men each plied for trade without being booked in advance, which meant they were not insured to carry out the subsequent journeys.

Staffordshire Police officers identified the drivers as part of a proactive operation in late 2022 which saw them work with partners including Stafford Borough Council, Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

On each occasion, between 10.30pm and 11.50pm on 26 November last year, each driver was identified as not possessing the correct insurance for operating as a taxi and plying for trade.

A council officer, purporting to be a member of the public, was able to climb into each minicab as a passenger before being pulled over by a roads policing vehicle at a nearby check-point, where it was demonstrated that the driver was operating illegally.

During the recent court hearing, each driver was handed six penalty points on their driving licence and a fine of between £700 and £1,200. They have also each been referred to the relevant local authority’s taxi and PHV licensing committee for a decision over whether they are allowed to continue to work as drivers in the future.

PC Martin Randle of the Road Policing Team, who organised the operation, said: “This was a lengthy case that involved multiple individuals who were found to have put the public at risk by driving without insurance in order to supplement their income illegally.

“Though we understand times are tough for a lot of people at the moment, it is not acceptable to put the public in danger and I’m pleased the drivers admitted their offending in court.”