Posted on the 22nd December 2025 in PHTM News

"EXCEPTIONALLY WEAK": EDINBURGH CABBIE BLASTS ONE WEEK SUSPENSION FOR PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER

A veteran Edinburgh black cab driver has launched a scathing attack on the city council, branding a one-week suspension for a private hire driver caught "plying for hire" as dangerously lenient and a threat to public safety.

The row erupted after Mehmood Fiaz UL Hassan, a private hire driver of seven years, admitted to picking up a passenger without a pre-booking outside Waverley Station.

The council’s Licensing Regulatory Committee heard that UL Hassan engaged in “sophistry” when challenged by staff and had even attempted to overcharge the passenger involved.

Keith Auld, a black cab driver and Unite trade union representative, has formally written to the council expressing his outrage.

In a letter seen by the Evening News, Mr. Auld argued that the short suspension fails to act as a deterrent for a "widespread and persistent issue."

“This conduct is not a minor or technical breach of licensing conditions. It strikes at the very core of the regulatory framework that exists to protect public safety, ensure fair competition, and maintain the reputation of Edinburgh’s licensed taxi trade,” Mr. Auld wrote.

He dismissed any claims of misunderstanding by the driver, stating: “A driver who has held a private hire licence for seven years cannot reasonably claim ignorance or confusion... accepting such an explanation risks undermining the credibility of the entire licensing regime.”

Mr. Auld pointed out that in England, similar offences often result in criminal proceedings, substantial fines, and up to nine penalty points on a driving licence. By contrast, he described the Edinburgh committee's decision as "out of step with the seriousness of the offence."

“Such a lenient penalty risks sending a damaging message to other drivers that engaging in illegal activity carries minimal consequence. Rather than discouraging unlawful behaviour, it may serve only to embolden it,” he warned.

The controversy coincides with heightened tension in the trade, following a separate incident the same day where a private hire vehicle was filmed crashing at Edinburgh Airport.

Licensing Sub-Committee Convener, Councillor Joanna Mowat, declined to comment on the specifics of the case but defended the committee’s process: “Committee is required to determine applications or requests for suspension on an individual basis, carefully weighing all the information in front of it. We hear as much of our business in public as possible for transparency.”

Mr. Auld has urged the committee to reconsider its approach to enforcement, arguing that the trade requires a "strong and unambiguous message" that illegal plying for hire will not be tolerated.


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