End of the road for rule-breaking Wolverhampton taxi firm

Westside Radio Cars based in Stafford Street , Wolverhampton, was stripped of its operating licence in October last year when council officials discovered it was using unlicensed and uninsured vehicles.

The company unsuccessfully contested the decision by magistrates in April this year and took the case to the city's Crown Court when that failed.

Just days before the matter was heard he was caught driving a Westside private hire car that breached operator licence regulations, it was revealed.

The vehicle was not displaying details of the driver's licence number and had a magnetic door sign that could easily be removed.

Judge Amjad Nawaz told him when rejecting the final appeal last week: "Hundreds of uninsured journeys were made carrying fare paying passengers. The advice from the local authority was completely disregarded and we were amazed to discover that as late as July of this year breaches were still occuring. Complete disregard has been shown for rules employed not just for the safety of the drivers but for that of the general public as well.

"We feel that the local authority has behaved with due diligence and acted in a wholly appropriate way in the interests of the safety of the public. The licence was quite correctly revoked because Mr Hussain is not a fit and proper person to hold it since he has failed to abide by the laws and regulations."

Hussain was first granted it on behalf of Westside Radio Cars in December 2004 and concerns about the running of the business initially surfaced in May last year.

Three of its vehicles lost their licence two months later amid fears they were not covered by insurance to carry fare paying passengers. Two days afterwards the remainder of the seven-strong fleet followed suit when it was discovered that their insurance had been cancelled, the court was told.

The firm was urged to follow the rules by council compliance officers but checks revealed they ignored the plea and continued to breach other conditions of the licence by not having copies of the drivers insurance, driving licence and vehicle MoT copies available for inspection. Then Hussain from Great Hampton Street, Whitmore Reans was caught out.

He declined to comment after being ordered to pay the £6,000 costs of the case within 14 days.

Councillor John Reynolds, Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member for city services, said later: "We did not take this decision lightly. Licensing services works closely with all businesses to support them and ensure they meet the relevant requirements. But in cases such as this where public safety is compromised we must take strong action as has been recognised by the court in this judgment."