Blaby and Wolverhampton councils carry out first joint private hire checks in cross-border enforcement drive
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
A joint taxi enforcement operation between Blaby District Council and City of Wolverhampton Council has resulted in multiple vehicles failing safety and compliance checks during a coordinated inspection exercise in Leicestershire.
Licensing officers from Blaby District Council worked alongside Wolverhampton counterparts, Leicestershire Police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to carry out unannounced roadside stops followed by in-depth vehicle examinations.
Drivers were directed to attend Blaby District Council’s Whetstone depot, where each vehicle was subjected to inspections covering more than 40 safety and mechanical checks. These included seatbelts, switches, braking systems and suspension components, reflecting the same standards applied to locally licensed vehicles.
A total of 15 taxis were inspected, all of which were licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council rather than Blaby. Of those, three vehicles were found to be fully compliant, while four were issued advisory notices for minor defects. Enforcement action was taken against the remaining vehicles that failed to meet required safety or licensing standards.
Surprise inspections targeted Wolverhampton-licensed taxis operating in Leicestershire, with enforcement action taken on vehicles failing safety standards.
Under Blaby District Council’s licensing conditions, taxis operating under its authority are required to undergo inspections every six months. The council has raised concerns that the growth of ride-hailing platforms has led to a sharp increase in vehicles licensed elsewhere operating extensively within the district, without being subject to the same local oversight.
City of Wolverhampton Council has become one of the largest taxi and private hire licensing authorities in England, with around 2,700 ride-hailing drivers living in Leicestershire alone licensed through Wolverhampton. That scale has made cross-border enforcement increasingly relevant for neighbouring councils.
By involving Wolverhampton licensing officers directly, the operation allowed the issuing authority to assess how its licensed drivers and vehicles were performing outside their home area and to take immediate regulatory action where standards were not met.
Both councils indicated that the operation provided valuable intelligence on vehicle condition and compliance, and signalled that similar joint checks could follow as authorities seek to manage the practical impact of cross-border taxi licensing on passenger safety and enforcement capacity.
Councillor Les Phillimore, Blaby District Council Portfolio Holder for Community and Environmental Services, said: "Christmas is always a tremendously busy period for taxi use so it’s the perfect time to carry out compliance checks with so many on the road. Our priority is to ensure vehicles are safe for everyone and if they’re not then they are taken out of action.
"This is the first time we have partnered with Wolverhampton for such an initiative but I’m sure it won’t be the last. We hope to commit to a joint licensing agreement so we can easily share information. This means more vehicles on our streets can be checked to ensure they are safe. This has got to be good for everyone."
A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: "We take our licensing responsibilities seriously and our officers work proactively across the country, wherever our drivers work, carrying out regular operations with partners to protect the public and ensure they travel in safety.
"We will continue to support Blaby District Council and others to carry out further compliance operations such as this to make sure vehicles meet the requirements to carry members of the public. This includes cracking down on taxis using 'ghost plates' which are illegal."
