Bus driver who hit parked cars approved for private hire licence in Glasgow

A bus driver who “lost control” of his vehicle and hit parked cars has been cleared to drive a private hire, after a warning from licensing chiefs.

Police Scotland had objected to Suudi Ali Shoble’s bid to become a private hire driver following a conviction in January 2020.

An officer told the city’s licensing committee that Mr Shoble had been fined £250 and issued five penalty points over the incident.

She said he had “drove a bus without due care and attention”, having “lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer out of control” and strike parked cars.

Police Scotland believed he was “not a fit and proper person to hold a licence”. The committee heard how the applicant had previously been refused a private hire car driver’s licence by East Renfrewshire Council.

Mr Shoble, who drives for First Bus, told councillors his bus, which was carrying passengers, had been running late and he was “a little bit distracted”. He claimed he intended to brake but pressed the accelerator instead.

Cllr Alex Wilson, who chairs the licensing committee, said: “Obviously it’s a worry that you’ve been distracted and there were passengers on board your bus.

“How can you convince us that if we grant you a licence you won’t become distracted and you’ll pay 100% attention to the road?”

The applicant said he was still a bus driver, had now been driving for six years and had undergone further training.

He said he wanted to switch from buses to private hire cars as it would give him more freedom to work hours that suit him and his family.

The committee agreed to grant him a three-year private hire car driver’s licence, but warned him over his “future conduct”.