A CAB driver who charged football fans over the odds for a trip back from the match has been hit with a penalty by the courts.
Orlin Angelov Madzharov of Lascelles Road, Liverpool, was ordered to pay £480 in fines and costs after being caught ‘cherry picking’ outside Anfield earlier this year.
Liverpool Magistrates Court heard that Madzharov, 43, was snared as part of an undercover operation by officers with Liverpool City Council’s Licensing Team in January.
The cabbie was parked up on Breck Road following Liverpool’s FA Cup clash with West Brom. Two licensing officers approached Madzharov’s Hackney Carriage and asked if he could take them to Lime Street. Madzharov said the journey would cost £20 but did not switch the cab’s meter on throughout the journey. Officers later calculated that if the meter had been switched on, the trip would have cost just £6.80.
Madzharov was summonsed to Court for failing to engage the meter but was found guilty in his absence. He was fined £300 with £150 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
Council investigations have discovered that black cab drivers charging over the odds at Anfield is a common complaint amongst football fans.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has vowed to crackdown on the practice, which has led to the undercover operations.
Mayor Anderson said: “Once again the city council has shown that it is prepared to take tough action against those cab drivers who do not play by the rules. It’s just not acceptable that fans leaving the match have to run the gauntlet of some unscrupulous drivers who are willing to exploit them in a bid to make a bit of easy money. This kind of behaviour breeds mistrust amongst the public and casts a bad light on all those honest and hardworking cabbies in our city who do a great job every day of the week.”
“We are committed to continuing with these undercover operations and getting a fair deal for the people of Liverpool.”
- For more information about licensing issues in Liverpool click here.