
A Stoke-on-Trent private hire firm that transported vulnerable schoolchildren has lost its appeal to get its licence back following a damning council investigation.
Just Travel Private Hire Ltd, based in Shelton, had its operator licence revoked by Stoke-on-Trent City Council after serious concerns emerged regarding the safety checks of its staff.
The company held 32 contracts with Staffordshire County Council to transport pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. However, the council terminated these contracts after a 2023 compliance check flagged issues with foreign "certificates of good character" submitted for four passenger assistants.
The documentation featured QR codes that were supposed to link to overseas background checks, but authorities questioned their legitimacy.
During a hearing at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, the court heard that company director Muhammad Shahbaz Anwar, 45, submitted these badge applications on behalf of candidates. If an applicant chose not to work for his company after getting the badge, Anwar would charge them a £20 fee to "move on."
Sarah Johnson, a licensing officer for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, explained that Anwar was referred to a licensing panel due to dishonesty.
"We would have expected Mr Anwar to check these QR codes and documents he received were legitimate," Johnson said, adding that for the county council to terminate the contract was "a serious matter" and "not something we take lightly."
Anwar’s defence solicitor, Antony Schiller, argued that his client had simply passed on the documents provided by applicants and claimed there was no evidence of dishonesty. He noted that Anwar had a "largely unblemished record" since first being licensed in 2012.
Magistrates ultimately rejected the appeal, upholding the council's decision to revoke the company's licence.
Delivering the verdict, the chair of the bench stated: "We do not feel the appellant is a fit and proper person. There is a clear safeguarding need to protect people travelling with a badge holder.
"We uphold the decision to revoke the licence from Mr Anwar's company."

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