A matter of life and death

ALI ASGHAR WAS A 38-YEAR-OLD hard-working Uber driver. Arriving from Pakistan more than 10 years ago he grafted continually to make a living. His brother, also named Ali, told how his sibling did any kind of work necessary to pay his way. From leafleting to stints flipping burgers at McDonald’s. He eventually bought a house in Rochdale and was able to purchase a new Mercedes, which was his work vehicle. As one of six children he worked hard. “Crazy hours,” Ali told the Manchester Evening News, so that his brother could send money to their family in Pakistan, who depended on his earnings for support.

Ali said “Even the day before he was assaulted, he told me, I am very happy with my life, as I have managed to complete and achieve all of my major goals in life and can now finally relax and take it easy.” But this was not to be.

On the night of October 30, 2021, Ali Asghar was murdered by his passengers after they refused his request that they stop eating burgers and chips in his car. He pulled over into a garage to let them out, where they proceeded to beat him to death. His killers were caught and were sentenced to life imprisonment.

This case is an extreme example of the assaults faced by professional drivers across the country on an almost hourly basis. Neither the devolved governments, regulatory authorities or the operators appear capable or willing to combat the violence faced by drivers. Passengers, who for a variety of reasons, feel that it is OK to vent their anger on professional drivers, face almost no sanction when they do so.

It is time that such assaults are stopped.

Why am I raising this case now? Recently one of our members called for support following a serious sexual assault. Shortly after another member had his car trashed following the refusal of his passenger to stop smoking in the vehicle.

Across the profession it appears that neither the operators, the licensing authorities nor the Governments of the UK seem to be that concerned about the safety of professional drivers. At the lowest level of passenger misbehaviour I have come across, drivers who have been reported to the operator, and subsequently to the licensing authority for a range of issues which, on examination appear impossible to have occurred. Yet nothing is done to those making such false complaints.

In addition, I have spoken to drivers who have feared threats and intimidation from passengers. The GMB Union has also provided advice and direct support to female members who were subject to sexual assaults. Many drivers have faced violent assaulted and a few, like Ali Asghar, Gabriel Bringye, Mohammed Istakhar and Anakh Singh, have been murdered by their passengers.

Members’ complaints of assault or misbehaviour to their operators have been met with no serious response except sweet words. Despite the operators having all of the details of the passengers I have not come across a case where a rider has been sanctioned for their behaviour. This gives rise to passengers believing that drivers, including our members, are fair game on which to vent their frustration or as a means to get a refund for their journey from the operator.

I believe that this perception by passengers is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of our driver/ members are non-white.

It is time for the development and introduction of a policy and mechanism that spells out to riders that misbehaviour will not be tolerated but will be the subject of criminal action or other sanction, if they are committing acts harmful to drivers. The greatest deterrent to criminal or antisocial behaviour is the certainty of being caught and subject to penalties.

It is the responsibility of companies that depend upon their workers performing their tasks professionally, to have the safety of such persons as one of their priorities.

The licensing authorities should stipulate in their conditions of licensing that operators must have a robust system of pursuing persons who have established claims of criminal or other negative behaviour made against them by drivers.

There are a number of schemes that place details against persons working in certain industries, such as the Disclosure and Barring Service, the National Register of Taxi and Private Hire Licence Revocations and Refusals, Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme.

Now may be the time for a national register of refused passengers.

—Kwabena Dennot Nyack

n Dennot is an AGM trade union member and was a former representative of the GMB’s professional drivers. He is also an author and broadcaster with a strong knowledge of the private hire industry and an equality and diversity specialist.

email: dennotnyack@yahoo.com mobile: +44 0740 625 276