Buckinghamshire Council successfully defends licence refusal for unsafe taxi driver

Buckinghamshire Council has successfully defended its decision to refuse a hackney carriage and private hire licence for a driver whose record fell short of the required standards.

Mr Asghar saw his application for a taxi driver licence refused following an incident that led to his driving licence being endorsed with seven penalty points. The penalty followed a collision with a motorbike in November 2020, which resulted in a charge of driving without due care and attention.

In making its decision, Buckinghamshire Council considered not only the recent offence but also Mr Asghar's driving history, which included a previous revocation of his taxi licence by Wycombe District Council in 2018 due to concerns about his driving standards.

Mr Asghar appealed against the refusal, taking the matter to Wycombe Magistrates' Court on 13 September 2024. However, the Magistrates upheld Buckinghamshire Council's original decision, agreeing that the refusal was in line with council policy.

Under Buckinghamshire’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, applicants with a major traffic offence that has resulted in injury or property damage are ineligible for a licence for at least seven years. The court’s decision reflected this policy, dismissing Mr Asghar’s appeal.

In addition to losing the appeal, Mr Asghar was ordered to pay £2,451.92 to cover Buckinghamshire Council’s legal costs.

Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Service, said: “Buckinghamshire Council expects its licensed drivers to maintain high standards, comply with the law and protect public safety. Hackney carriage and private hire drivers are professional drivers charged with the responsibility of carrying the public.

“Any motoring conviction demonstrates a lack of professionalism and applicants with a conviction for a serious motoring offence can expect to have their application refused in line with our policy.”