All posts by gavin_doult/h3>
Private Hire taxi drivers who pick up passengers without a pre-booking are prosecuted for illegally Plying for Hire. Hackney Taxi drivers are also prosecuted for Plying for Hire if they pick up passengers out of their licensed area.
In both cases, drivers are also routinely prosecuted for using the vehicle without insurance. Whether they are guilty of this or not depends on the terms of their insurance policy.
We see a large number of these cases, usually as a result of the local Taxi Licencing authorities and police undertaking undercover operations. We have had considerable success in getting these cases dropped after having obtained proof from the insurance companies that the use was covered under the policy. This is particularly for Hackney Carriage drivers who pick up out of their licenced area.
For a taxi driver, it is very important that they are not convicted of the insurance offence as this carries 6-8 penalty points or an immediate disqualification from driving.
If you’re a taxi driver who has been caught by an undercover operation or are being prosecuted call us straight away to discuss your case. We will give free initial advice.