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Taxi firm loses school contract
Peterborough City Council chiefs have cut a city cab firm’s school and social care contracts over safety fears.
Betta Cars owner Mohammed Shabir has lost the contract with Peterborough City Council after he and his driver Terence Maudlin were convicted of licensing offences at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on August 17.
The contract was for 19 home to school return journeys and two children’s social care routes.
Councillor Matthew Lee, city council cabinet member for culture, recreation and strategic commissions, took the decision urgently, as term starts on Thursday.
Cllr Lee said the council began considering all the Betta Cars contract routes after the convictions.
He said: “I was advised that terminating all Betta Cars contracts was the best course of action.
“Tenders had been sent out for the school travel contracts and these will be awarded imminently so they will be in place in time for the start of the school year on Thursday.”
The council said Betta Cars had breached clauses 18.5, 18.6 and 18.7 of its contract, which concern a contractor having the appropriate private hire or Hackney carriage licence and ensuring that all his drivers hold the appropriate private hire or Hackney carriage licence.
In court, Mr Shabir (40), of Harris Street, admitted operating a private hire vehicle (PHV) using an unlicensed driver.
He also pleaded guilty to his firm using a PHV without a licence.
Mr Maudlin (69), of London Road, Yaxley, admitted driving without a PHV licence.
Both received absolute discharges – a conviction with no punishment attached.
Mr Shabir’s first offence and Mr Maudlin’s offence came to light on March 1, when the council carried out checks at Arthur Mellows Village College, in Glinton, on firms it has school transport contracts with.
A Betta Cars taxi dropped off two children but officials noticed the driver, Mr Maudlin, did not have the correct licence for the PHV.
Mr Shabir’s other charge of operating a PHV without a current licence related to a vehicle modified to carry a wheelchair.
It broke down on November 20 last year, while transporting a disabled Peterborough youngster.
It was discovered that the vehicle’s licence had expired on October 31 last year and it was mechanically unsafe.
Following the court case, Cathy Summers, team manager for the council’s passenger transport contracts and planning, put forward proposals to axe the contracts.
A spokeswoman for Peterborough City Council reassured parents at the 20 schools across the city involved with contracts that three cab firms remain available to transport youngsters to and from school.
Mr Shabir, who has run Betta Cars for 20 years and employs 120 drivers, declined to comment on the school contract cancellation.
Peterborough City Council was unable to comment on whether the problems had any impact on Mr Shabir’s operator’s licence.
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Comments
There are 16 comments to this article
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A local chap
Friday, September 3, 2010 at 10:45 PMZanni - "lucky for the council he was caught". But I thought it was the Council that caught him - according to the report. Henry - you have a real PCC issue. This goes before licencing and they can take it away.
Zanni
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 09:03 PMIt just seems lucky for the council he was caught, makes you wonder how much of this goes on where they arn't caught. Same as trying to guess how much money these taxi companies don't put through the books.
henry
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 05:58 PMAt least he has the right sounding name and the correct ethnic grouping - can't go wronge can he? A tap on the hand - naughty man. Is he a fit and proper person to run such an operation as a boss of a taxi firm. Apparently the PCC thinks so!
The Admiral
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 02:44 PMwhat is happening at the PCC Taxi Office that they didnt see this coming? Or was it something that fell between the cracks??
aressee
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 02:02 PMFor once in my life I agree with the City Council's action!
Fidget
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 02:01 PMOh dear, Captain K, you seem a little uptight, are you ok? You make a big assumption about my ethnicity, and you know what they say about assumption, it makes a big ASS out of U. Perhaps you could enlighten us all as to the other comments I have posted where ethnicity is an issue - no? Didn't think so. (p.s. do you have a spell checker, you need to use it, and maybe learn some punctuation too? No? Oh well, I'm sure you are happy in your world.)
eggcraft
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 02:01 PMCaptain K - Welland - where is that. I live in a lovely little village in my own home, paid for by working all my life. I work with about 25 asians and they are all lovely, so don't call me rascist. Ok they like to fiddle the system sometimes but hey so do some 'white' people
eggcraft
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 01:58 PMCaptain K -what makes you think I don't work. Not everyone works 9-5. I work from 4 -10pm. I have done for the past 34 years. It only takes a little research to find all the stories over the years regarding taxi drivers swapping ID etc etc. Oh and by the way I work with several Asians who have links to the taxi business. You would cringe at some of the things they tell us. Most of them are law abiding but unfortunately it's the bad ones that make it bad on everyone. Most of my asian workmates live in the same area of town and are nearly all related in one way or another, so it goes without saying that the owners of some of the firms are from the same family.
The Admiral
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 01:39 PMWell poor thing, he has been profiteering from council contracts whilst breaking the law. We always used to say "one rule for us and one rule for taxi drivers" and he seemed to think it is his human right. Yes, it is his human right to drive commercially vehicles that are unsafe and unsuitable for the task, using drivers as company owner he should know are not licenced for the task. Either he sits down and shuts up or someone will report him to the Health & Safety people as well - they can really hurt.
Captain K
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 01:39 PMFidget..what has the ethnic network go to do with anything? You really are a prat arent you. Eggcraft..you seem to be very knowledgeable on how the taxi trade works don't you..how about getrting off your backside and earning your living like his "pals" do, instead of city in you poxy lil house in welland and crying behing your computer screen. You two seem to have orgasmic attacks everytime a story is published on the ET, that includes somebody that is a different colour to you or is an immigrant. I suggest you get a life!! Regards
nanna wren
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 12:29 PMHis licence should be revoked!! Rules were made for keeping not breaking. AND he has not run Betta Cars for 20 years - I was working there 16 years ago and he most certainly was not my boss!!!
eggcraft
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:52 AMThis sort of thing goes on in most of the asian taxi firms. So the contract will now be awarded to one of his pals.
Fidget
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:31 AMSo how come Betta Cars (oh, the irony) still has a licence to operate? Shouldn't the licence be revoked? Clearly Shabir has no regard whatsoever for the safety and security of the passengers his firm carries. Ah, I'm forgetting the "ethnic network" aren't I.....
Mark Zuckerberg
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:11 AMPS: I'm surprised by Shabir's silence - normally he's more than happy to speak to the ET, but that tends to be when's he's trying to flog a new service or hosting another shameless PR stunt.
Mark Zuckerberg
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:10 AMWhy the city council need to pay for pupils to be driven to and from school anyway?
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