A woman from Glasgow has been prosecuted after she was found behind the wheel of a Milton Keynes City Council licensed private hire vehicle without holding the required private hire driver licence.
The city council’s taxi enforcement officers were carrying out routine patrols in Wolverton on October 18, 2024 when they saw an MK City Council‑licensed vehicle pull into a shopping area.
When officers approached the driver, Fozia Noreen, she was unable to produce a private hire driver badge.
A city council investigation later confirmed she did not hold a private hire driver licence and was not insured to drive the vehicle, putting passengers and other road users at risk. By driving a licensed vehicle without the correct licence, she was deceiving the public into believing she was an authorised private hire driver.
Last week, Ms Noreen pleaded guilty at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court to being an unlicensed private hire driver and to driving without insurance. She was ordered to pay £699 in fines and costs and received six penalty points on her driving licence.
“Anyone pretending to be a licensed private hire driver is committing a serious offence and putting the public at risk," said Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, Cllr Mick Legg, "Our licensing and enforcement teams work tirelessly to keep people safe, and we will not hesitate to take action against anyone who attempts to operate unlawfully.”
