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| Hundreds of London minicabs could be 'working illegally' | Hundreds of London minicabs could be 'working illegally' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of London minicab drivers may be working fraudulently after buying qualifications, the BBC has found. | Hundreds of London minicab drivers may be working fraudulently after buying qualifications, the BBC has found. |
| Drivers must sit mandatory exams to get a licence. But a BBC undercover investigation has exposed colleges cheating the required tests. | Drivers must sit mandatory exams to get a licence. But a BBC undercover investigation has exposed colleges cheating the required tests. |
| Transport for London (TfL) said it would immediately investigate at least 1,667 applications in light of the evidence. | Transport for London (TfL) said it would immediately investigate at least 1,667 applications in light of the evidence. |
| TfL, the licensing authority, said it was "deeply concerned" by the findings. | TfL, the licensing authority, said it was "deeply concerned" by the findings. |
| The growth in taxi booking firms such as Uber have seen the number of private hire vehicle licences in use that were issued in the capital surge by 86% between 2011 and 2018, from 61,200 to 113,645. | The growth in taxi booking firms such as Uber have seen the number of private hire vehicle licences in use that were issued in the capital surge by 86% between 2011 and 2018, from 61,200 to 113,645. |
| Under the cab application process, along with a criminal record check and medical test, drivers must sit a topographical exam and an English test at one of eight official TfL testing centres. | Under the cab application process, along with a criminal record check and medical test, drivers must sit a topographical exam and an English test at one of eight official TfL testing centres. |
| Evidence of these exams can also be accepted via other qualifications including BTecs, which are usually taken at private colleges and centres. | Evidence of these exams can also be accepted via other qualifications including BTecs, which are usually taken at private colleges and centres. |
| The qualification can be used to gain a minicab licence from many councils across the UK. | The qualification can be used to gain a minicab licence from many councils across the UK. |
| One of these colleges, Vista Training Solutions in Newham, east London, offered to take the tests for several BBC researchers for £500 per BTec. | One of these colleges, Vista Training Solutions in Newham, east London, offered to take the tests for several BBC researchers for £500 per BTec. |
| At a mandatory English and maths assessment answers were read out to eight candidates taking the BTec fraudulently. | At a mandatory English and maths assessment answers were read out to eight candidates taking the BTec fraudulently. |
| Registers were falsified before the online BTec exam was taken by the managers on the candidates' behalf. | Registers were falsified before the online BTec exam was taken by the managers on the candidates' behalf. |
| The researcher, who had neither attended any classes nor completed an exam, received a BTec level two certificate in Introduction to the Role of the Professional Taxi and Private Hire Driver. | The researcher, who had neither attended any classes nor completed an exam, received a BTec level two certificate in Introduction to the Role of the Professional Taxi and Private Hire Driver. |
| Another undercover BBC researcher, who had also done nothing other than pay, subsequently received a certificate stating he had passed his BTec level two. | Another undercover BBC researcher, who had also done nothing other than pay, subsequently received a certificate stating he had passed his BTec level two. |
| Vista was one of the several centres the BBC heard was facilitating fraudulently obtained qualifications. | Vista was one of the several centres the BBC heard was facilitating fraudulently obtained qualifications. |
| During undercover filming Gerti Qamili, a college manager, bragged he had helped "over 300 students" fraudulently achieve the qualification. | During undercover filming Gerti Qamili, a college manager, bragged he had helped "over 300 students" fraudulently achieve the qualification. |
| The scam had been successfully winning licences from TfL for more than two years, Mr Qamili said. | The scam had been successfully winning licences from TfL for more than two years, Mr Qamili said. |
| He warned the researchers "not to tell anyone that someone does the test for you". | He warned the researchers "not to tell anyone that someone does the test for you". |
| Vista Training Solutions has received more than £1.5m since 2018 for apprenticeships. | Vista Training Solutions has received more than £1.5m since 2018 for apprenticeships. |
| Ofsted singled out the college for "ensuring that the training meets the needs of the industry" in a monitoring report in December last year. | Ofsted singled out the college for "ensuring that the training meets the needs of the industry" in a monitoring report in December last year. |
| Caroline Pidgeon, deputy chair of London's Transport Committee, said: "Passengers are getting into those vehicles, and they need to know they're safe. | Caroline Pidgeon, deputy chair of London's Transport Committee, said: "Passengers are getting into those vehicles, and they need to know they're safe. |
| "To hear parts of that (qualifications) are being forged around London, that's not right, that's really worrying and TfL need to get a grip on this." | "To hear parts of that (qualifications) are being forged around London, that's not right, that's really worrying and TfL need to get a grip on this." |
| Helen Chapman, a director at TfL, said: "It is deeply concerning to learn that some colleges or schools could be illegally providing certificates. | Helen Chapman, a director at TfL, said: "It is deeply concerning to learn that some colleges or schools could be illegally providing certificates. |
| "We will support the relevant authorities with any wider investigations into these organisations. We will take immediate action against any driver identified as fraudulently obtaining a licence." | "We will support the relevant authorities with any wider investigations into these organisations. We will take immediate action against any driver identified as fraudulently obtaining a licence." |
| TfL said all new applications in which the topographical test had been taken at a private college rather than at one of its eight official examination centres had now been put on hold. | TfL said all new applications in which the topographical test had been taken at a private college rather than at one of its eight official examination centres had now been put on hold. |
| The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan whose office oversees TfL said: "This was a very serious breach." | The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan whose office oversees TfL said: "This was a very serious breach." |
| He added that TfL would be working with the police to investigate any rules that had been broken. | He added that TfL would be working with the police to investigate any rules that had been broken. |
| "The reason why it's so serious is because we know that in the past there have been examples of serious criminal offences committed," he added. | "The reason why it's so serious is because we know that in the past there have been examples of serious criminal offences committed," he added. |
| Vista Training Solutions said it was shocked by the allegations, which it said would be a violation of its policies, as well as a crime. It added it would be launching its own internal investigation. | |
| Mr Qamili and Abdalla Jamac, who the company claimed were responsible for the BTec level two taxi course, are no longer working at Vista. | Mr Qamili and Abdalla Jamac, who the company claimed were responsible for the BTec level two taxi course, are no longer working at Vista. |
| Both were contacted by the BBC but refused to comment. | Both were contacted by the BBC but refused to comment. |
| This story will be featured on BBC London TV News and Inside Out on BBC One in London on Monday 4 November at 19:30 GMT and afterwards on the iPlayer. | This story will be featured on BBC London TV News and Inside Out on BBC One in London on Monday 4 November at 19:30 GMT and afterwards on the iPlayer. |