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Posted on the 11th August 2025 in PHTM News

LONDON PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER TO PAY OVER £2,000 FOR ILLEGAL READING FESTIVAL PICK UP

A London-licensed private hire driver, Abdul Mashud of Tower Hamlets, has been fined and received six points on his licence for illegally "plying for hire" during last year's Reading Festival.

Mashud was caught on August 23, 2024, after he agreed to take undercover Reading Council Licensing officers from a petrol station near the festival site to Slough Train Station for an inflated fare of £120.

This was done without a pre-booking - the law states that private hire drivers can only accept pre-booked fares and cannot pick up passengers from the street or a taxi rank. Doing so voids the vehicle's insurance, leaving passengers unprotected in the event of an accident.

On August 5, 2025, at Reading Magistrates' court, Mashud was found guilty of both plying for hire and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

He was fined £399, ordered to pay a £160 surcharge, and an additional £1,500 in costs, bringing his total to £2,059. His licence was also endorsed with six penalty points.

The court's decision was praised by Cllr John Ennis, Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, who stated: "This marks the third successful prosecution of a driver operating illegally during Reading Festival 2024."

He emphasised the importance of public safety during the festival, noting that it brings over 100,000 visitors to the town each year. "While a cheap fare may seem convenient, it’s simply not worth the risk," he added.

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