London Crackdown on Taxi Touting

Consequences Of A Conviction For Taxi Touting Explained

In the wake of a 48 hour clampdown on taxi touting in London this weekend, we outline some of the main consequences of being convicted of touting for hire also known as plying for hire.

Taxi touting is one of the few motoring offences we deal with that is non-endorseable (you do not receive penalty points if convicted.) The maximum penalty for taxi touting is a fine of £2500. Our charges for defending a touting offence can frequently exceed the highest level of fine. We have a 100% successful defence record in our taxi touting cases and so most fees are recoverable pursuant to a defence costs order. That said, no case is without risk of a conviction, so why do so many taxi drivers instruct us when faced with a prosecution for touting?

No Insurance

The Police are well aware that the penalty for touting is a fine only and so they often add to the charge a prosecution for driving without a valid policy of insurance, assuming that a policy will only cover a driver to carry passengers if in receipt of a private hire licence or acting in accordance with the terms of that licence.

This offence carries a possible penalty of between 6-8 points and a maximum £5000 fine.
If we succeed in successfully defending the touting charge, the insurance allegation should also fail.

Private Hire Licence Revocation

Perhaps the most serious consequence of being convicted and in some cases, even cautioned for taxi touting is that depending on the local authority responsible for regulating your licence, you mayhave your private hire driver’s licence revoked and will not be considered for relicensing for at least 12 months.

What Should You Do If Facing A Taxi Touting Prosecution?

1. Write down everything you can remember – by the time your case comes before a court, your memory of events will fade and we need your account to be accurate as most taxi touting cases turn on the facts.
2. Contact your licence authority – not all licencing authorities are as strict as the London “One Strike and You’re Out!” rules.
3. Contact us – until you do, you don’t know if there is a way we can help keep your licence intact. We do not charge anything for a chat and if you do decide to go ahead with instructing us, because you are a professional driver, we will discount your fees.

Call now on Freephone 0800 1389 123 or email us on enquiries@motoroffence.co.uk . Our phones are manned throughout the day evenings and weekends by legally qualified members of the Geoffrey Miller team (Not a call centre).