Warning over online '˜lifts'

This practice is getting more frequent and is greatly worrying myself and other colleagues throughout the taxi trade in various North East boroughs.

These individuals are offering lifts via social media often to complete strangers, therefore they, in doing so, are invalidating their motor insurance as they are offering hire and reward services, obviously without an operators licence, private hire/Hackney carriage drivers licence or hire and reward insurance.

I appreciate this situation may be difficult to prove as the people concerned will have some sort of cover story compiled with there illegal ‘fare paying’ passengers but we in the taxi trade are deeply concerned about the safety of the general public and of course affecting our trade.

We would appreciate it if a certain officer could be individually allocated in dealing and communicating in this worrying and increasing problem.

Brian Goodman

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