A Hackney Carriage driver was found guilty of overcharging a football fan, who had travelled from Ireland with his son to watch Manchester United, after court action by Trafford Council.
Manchester Magistrates heard that the pair checked in to Hotel Football on 1 March, the night before Manchester United played Fulham at Old Trafford.
They were heading into the city centre for food and got into Mr Mandeep Singh’s Hackney Carriage after spotting him waiting in the rank on Sir Matt Busby Way.
During the journey, the complainant noticed the meter wasn’t on but trusted that Mr Singh, 43, of Mellor Street, Stretford, would charge him appropriately.
However, when they pulled up outside the Hawksmoor steakhouse on Deansgate, Mr Singh asked for £15, despite the roads having been quiet.
Shocked, the complainant paid up, so as not to miss his restaurant reservation, but subsequently reported the matter to Trafford Council’s Licensing Enforcement Team.
During an interview at Trafford Town Hall, Mr Singh said that the fare should have been about £8 and that he should have used the meter but ‘forgot’.
In fact, Council officers calculated that the fare was 92% higher than it should have been, according to Trafford Council’s Table of Fares for Hackney Carriages.
Magistrates found Mr Singh was found guilty of failing to engage his meter and charging more than the legal fare. He received a fine of £440 plus a £176 victim surcharge and £180 towards costs.
Cllr Rose Thompson, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Communities and Safety said:
“We are pleased that the customer brought this matter to our attention. This case shows that the public and the Council will not tolerate behaviour that does not meet the required standards, from anyone who is licenced to trade in Trafford.
“Trafford’s Hackney Carriages play a vital role in transporting customers and this activity undermines the hard work and consideration that our drivers give every day.”
Posted on Monday 1st December 2025