Driver fined for plying for hire at Reading Festival

A private hire driver, named Hammad Ashraf Khan Manj, was fined over £1,000 for illegally offering to pick up passengers during the Reading Festival. 

Manj, a private hire driver licensed by Transport for London (TfL), was caught in a sting operation by licensing officers from Reading Borough Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, and Fareham Borough Council. He offered to take undercover officers from Tessa Road near the festival to Slough train station for £35.

The incident took place on August 23, the first main day of the festival, and Manj initially denied any wrongdoing.

However, he pleaded guilty to the offence of plying for hire at Reading Magistrates Court and was fined £576, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £800, and a victim surcharge of £230, totalling £1,603 in penalties.

Councillor John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport at Reading Borough Council, praised the collaborative efforts of the licensing officers involved in the operation. He emphasized the importance of partnership working to uphold high standards for private hire drivers and ensure the safety of the travelling public, particularly during large events like the Reading Festival, which attracts over 100,000 visitors.