The boss of Brighton's TucTuc Ltd faces a fresh battle with the authorities after being ordered to appear at a disciplinary hearing.

Entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah, 27, is being forced before the Traffic Commissioner charged with four alleged breaches of his firm's licence.

If found guilty TucTuc Ltd, of which Mr Ponniah is director, could face severe punishment including a fine, reduction of its fleet, or even revocation of the licence to run its rickshaws in Brighton and Hove.

However the revocation option is being seen as a last resort and the former options are most likely.

The firm, founded by Mr Ponniah in 2006, has already fallen foul of the Traffic Commissioner once this year after receiving a £16,000 fine, later reduced on appeal to £8,000, for not sticking to its timetable.

Mr Ponniah told The Argus: "We plan to attend the hearing and we will put our case forward explaining why we think we have not breached the licence requirements."

The hearing will take place in Eastbourne on January 3. TucTuc Ltd is alleged to have breached the Transport Act and the Public Passenger Vehicles Act.

It relates to TucTuc Ltd's closure of its services in Brighton and Hove for the winter months.

Under the acts bus services, of which TucTuc Ltd is classed as, must give 56 days notice before shutting its service.

It is alleged the firm did not give any notice.

Mr Ponniah had previously told The Argus that he did not believe he needed to give notice of the temporary closure of the service.

Mr Ponniah refused to comment further on any of the allegations other than to say they would be contested.

It is the latest bout of controversy the firm has faced since being awarded what is thought to be the first ever tuk tuk licence outside Asia.

The fleet has proved popular among punters since its launch in 2006, doubling its fleet and expanding its routes.

However the firm quickly met stiff opposition from taxi drivers before falling foul of copyright laws after painting one of its £2000 rickshaws, nicknamed the "Chavrolet", in the colours of fashion house Burberry.

Then following a formal complaint TucTuc Ltd was summonsed before the Traffic Commissioner for a public inquiry after failing to stick to its strict timetable requirements.

Earlier this year Mr Ponniah, whose stated mission is for TucTuc Ltd to achieve worldwide domination, announced he was to expand his British service into London.

The move sparked a fresh wave of controversy among the capital's taxi drivers who saw the firm as a threat to their own livelihoods.

The entrepreneur even starred in BBC 2's Dragon's Den in a failed bid to secure investment for the move.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said they did not want to comment on the proceedings as it has no jurisdiction over TucTuc Ltd's licence.

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