Slough Borough Council has noticed adverts appearing in local Polish shops offering a taxi service for airport pick up and drop offs by unlicensed taxi drivers.
Any individual transporting members of the public and receiving payment must be licensed as a Private Hire driver or Hackney Carriage Driver. The vehicle must also be licensed, otherwise it is illegal.
Anyone taking these taxis will not be covered by a valid insurance policy, while the vehicles may not have a valid MOT and could potentially be unsafe. The drivers themselves would be difficult to trace and won’t have the required Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check compulsory for all licensed Private Hire and Hackney Carriage drivers.
Rachael Rumney, licensing officer for Slough Borough Council, said: “As with every Private Hire driver in the borough, anyone wishing to carry passengers and be paid must have a legal license for both themselves and their vehicle.
“It is illegal to carry paying passengers without this. We take great pride in working with the Polish community and are committed to their welfare and safety.”
Commissioner for community and leisure, Cllr Shafiq Chaudhry, added: “It’s vital that anyone booking a taxi makes sure it’s from a legitimate firm. All paid drivers should have their license and be CRB checked for the safety of the passengers.”
Anyone who would like further advice or has information about these taxis should contact the council’s licensing team on 01753 875664.