A Newcastle private hire driver has been hit with fines totaling over £800 after illegally plying for hire in Chester-le-Street.
Babar Shahzad, of Florain Drive, Great Park, was caught in a Durham County Council test operation offering rides without prior bookings — a violation of private hire rules.
At Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, Shahzad was found guilty of operating without a hackney carriage license and driving without proper insurance. He received eight points on his license, a £200 fine, £555 in costs, and an £80 victim surcharge.
Officials remind the public that private hire vehicles must be pre-booked, while only hackney carriages (official taxis) can pick up passengers directly from the roadside.