Wolverhampton minicab driver found guilty of plying for hire outside Liverpool’s Anfield home

An out of town private hire driver was fined after illegally plying for hire outside Liverpool FC’s Anfield home. The minicab driver licensed by the controversial Wolverhampton City Council authority was caught by Liverpool Licensing Officers who gave evidence at court yesterday.

The unnamed driver was found guilty and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling over £1,000. The private hire driver also had their driver’s licence endorsed with 6 penalty points.

Wolverhampton Council handed out nearly 12,000 taxi licences in 2018 – but only a tiny amount of them were for drivers living in the Midlands city. The council has come under continued heavy criticism for the amount of licences that it grants and the low criteria it sets for would-be minicab drivers. The cost of obtaining a licence in Wolverhampton is £284, compared to £460-£474 in Stockton, Cleveland, Redcar and Middlesborough respectively. In June, Councillor Alan Bolshaw, Chairman of Wolverhampton‘s Licensing Committee, defended the council by saying: "There has been negativity in the press, from other councils and some existing drivers. They claim to be concerned about the public being put at risk because of the way in which drivers and vehicles are licensed. "These concerns are unfounded and commercially motivated, as our approach - coupled with technological and legislative changes - has disrupted the market on a national level." Liverpool’s Licensing Officers said via Twitter: “Liverpool Licensing Officers have just left court after giving evidence against a Wolverhampton PHV caught plying for hire outside Anfield stadium. Driver found guilty after trial and fines + costs total over £1000 with driving licence endorsed with 6 penalty points”.

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