A TAXI driver has been fined for driving his cab without the required council licence.

Mohammad Iqbal, 52, of Burnley Road in Todmorden, was caught driving his vehicle and attempting to ply for hire on South Street, Bacup.

His licence had been revoked in September 2018 as he had previously been disqualified from driving and failed to inform the licensing department at Rossendale Borough Council.

He pleaded guilty to the charges at Burnley Magistrates’ Court. He was fined £266 for the offence, and was also ordered to pay £296.30 in legal costs and £210 investigation costs a total of £772.30.

Iqbal’s vehicle, a Mercedes E220, was registered as a hackney carriage.

Cllr Steve Hughes, Rossendale Council's communities boss, said: We take the safety of people using taxis very seriously and we require the highest standards from the taxi drivers in the borough.

"The licensing rules are there to keep the public safe and we take any breach of them very seriously. We don’t want residents and visitors to get into a vehicle with a driver who is not properly licensed and checked. We take a tough line on people flouting these rules.”