A Glasgow private hire driver has been warned by the council after he failed to leave his details when he reversed into a car.
Neil Lynas had also been caught speeding, clocked at 75mph in a 50mph area, which led to Police Scotland opposing his bid to renew his licence.
Glasgow’s licensing committee decided to grant a three-year extension to Mr Lynas but warned the driver over his future behaviour.
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Sergeant Lisa Campbell told councillors how the applicant had been given a £200 fine and four points on his licence after he was caught speeding in May 2019. He wasn’t working as a private hire driver at the time.
The committee also heard how, in October 2020, Mr Lynas had reversed into a parked vehicle and failed to stop to give his name and address. He was fined £250 and given five penalty points.
Mr Lynas said he had been caught speeding at around 1am by officers “sitting in a blacked out vehicle”. “I thought they had to make themselves in view,” he said.
Cllr Alex Wilson, who chairs the licensing committee, said: “What you said there was very worrying, the fact you thought Police Scotland had to make themselves visible. That makes it okay to drive at 75mph? You were still speeding in the first place.”
“I accept that,” Mr Lynas said. He added, in the second incident, there had only been a “scratch” on the vehicle and he hadn’t realised he had caused it.
Cllr Wilson said: “I don’t think that’s acceptable at all. If it had happened to my vehicle I would have been absolutely raging. No wonder they contacted Police Scotland. It would have cost you a lot less than the £250 and the five points on your licence.”
Bailie Hanif Raja, seconded by Cllr Wilson, had moved that the licence only be granted for a restricted period of one year but Cllr Anne McTaggart, seconded by Bailie Jim Kavanagh, suggested an amendment that the whole three-year term should be granted. The amendment passed by four votes to three.
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