School Transport Operator Fined After Council Checks

A PRIVATE hire operator and a driver have been fined in court after Council licensing officers carried out checks on vehicles and drivers fulfilling school transport contracts.

Reading Borough Council officers were carrying out a routine operation outside The Holy Brook School, in Ashampstead Road, Southcote, when they spotted a silver Mercedes Vito operating as a school transport vehicle. The car was displaying an expired Transport for London private hire vehicle licence plate. The Licensing team worked with the Council’s Legal section to take the case to Reading Magistrates Court. Anthony Roe, 51, of Lower Armour Road, Tilehurst, the operator of 1st Class Cars, was found guilty in his absence of operating a private hire vehicle without a current licence, during a hearing on 9th April 2018. He was fined £800 and ordered to pay legal costs of £1,500 and an £80 victim surcharge. Clarence Harry, 63, of Halls Road, Tilehurst, the driver of the Mercedes Vito, appeared before magistrates on 12th April 2018 and was found guilty of driving/plying for hire without a licence. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay legal costs of £120 and a £30 victim surcharge. The Council’s licensing officers are regularly out and about in the borough carrying out checks on private hire vehicles, taxis and their drivers for the safety of all their customers.