Posted on the 1st October 2025 in PHTM News
TRAFFORD PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER GUILTY OF PLYING FOR HIRE AND OVERCHARGING
A private hire driver has had his licence revoked after he illegally picked up a fare outside Old Trafford and charged £35 for a four-mile journey.
Rehan Mirza, 42 from Crumpsal, was waiting in his Mercedes at the hackney rank on Sir Matt Busby Way after a Manchester United Premier League match on November 10 last year.
He picked up a United fan, and his seven-year-old son, and took them to Piccadilly train station. Mirza insisted the journey cost £35.
The suspicious fan paid up but later complained to Trafford Council.
Their licensing enforcement team carried out an investigation, and found Mirza had been had been illegally plying for fares at the rank and hence driving without insurance.
His private hire licence was revoked, in his absence, at a meeting of Trafford Council's licensing sub-committee.
He was also recently prosecuted and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates Court to charges of illegally plying for hire, permitting any other vehicle other than a hackney carriage to wait in a stand, and driving without insurance.
He was fined £250, ordered to pay a surcharge of £100 and costs of £300.
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said in a statement issued after the hearing: “Once again our Licensing Enforcement Team has demonstrated a continued dedication to hold drivers, who put the public at risk, accountable for their actions.
“Only Trafford licensed hackney vehicles can pick customers up without a pre-booked fare outside Old Trafford.
"Our enforcement team continues to proactively patrol Old Trafford on match days and respond to complaints to ensure decisive action is taken where necessary.”
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