Keighley taxi driver to pay Craven Council £1,000 after appeal

Sharaz Hussain, 41, of Manor Road in the Keighley area, found out the decision at York Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old had his hackney carriage driver's licence revoked on October 1, 2021, by Craven District Council (CDC).

This was due to Hussain driving his taxi without a valid MOT certificate even though he knew it had failed and an “unacceptable” attitude, according to a spokesperson for the local authority.

Craven District Council is based in Belle Vue Square, off Broughton Road in Skipton. Picture: Google Street View

The spokesperson added: “Mr Hussain drove the vehicle without a valid MOT certificate – knowing that the vehicle had failed its MOT.

“A vehicle check sheet provide to assist in ensuring that the public are driven in safe and appropriate vehicles was not being used.

“In addition, throughout the investigation, Mr Hussain’s attitude towards Craven District Council’s Licensing officers had been unacceptable.

“In general terms Mr Hussain appeared to show ‘a lack of regard’ for the Regulations that applied to him as a licenced driver.”

Hussain lodged an appeal to the courts against the decision on December 17 last year.

A driver can appeal a district council’s decision under the same law that the local authority can suspend, revoke, or refuse the renewal of the licence - Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 – if they feel aggrieved at it.

But court records show Hussain’s appeal was dismissed at the hearing on Wednesday, upholding the decision made by Craven District Council’s Licensing and Appeals Sub-Committee.

Hussain appeared at York Magistrates’ Court for the contested appeal hearing.

The 41-year-old has now been ordered by the courts to pay £1,000 to Craven District Council for costs relating to the case.

Speaking after the court result, Councillor Simon Myers, Craven District Council's Chair of the Licensing Committee, said: "We are pleased that the decision to revoke the licence was upheld.

“We are determined to ensure that the public are protected and can feel safe when using taxis in Craven.”

Craven District Council has a public register of all the hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, hackney carriage, private hire and combined drivers, and private hire operators that are licenced with the local authority.

There are 16 private hire operators on the list, 217 drivers and 263 vehicles.

There are also three taxi ranks in Craven District Council – at Swadford Street, Waller Hill car park and Sackville Street, all in Skipton – which provide the public with a set location where they can hire a fully licensed taxi.