CROSS BORDER ENFORCEMENT: Two Bradford private hire drivers and vehicles suspended in Barnsley enforcement operation

Two Bradford-licensed private hire drivers and their vehicles were suspended during a joint taxi licensing enforcement operation in Barnsley town centre.

The static night-time operation took place on 18 July 2026 and involved Barnsley Council licensing officers, South Yorkshire Police and licensing teams from Bradford and Wolverhampton councils.

A total of 43 hackney carriage and private hire drivers and vehicles were stopped and inspected, according to an enforcement report presented to Barnsley Council’s Licensing Regulatory Board on 2 September.

Officers checked 15 Barnsley-licensed hackney carriages and four locally licensed private hire vehicles. One private hire driver received a written warning for failing to display an interior licence plate. Every other Barnsley-licensed driver and vehicle inspected was found to be compliant.

Bradford licensing officers suspended two Bradford-licensed private hire drivers and vehicles over breaches involving signage and accident damage. The report does not provide further details about the damage or state how long the suspensions remained in force.

Vehicles licensed by Wakefield, Kirklees, Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Wolverhampton and Rotherham were also checked. The authority said the operation followed concerns raised by taxi and private hire trade representatives about the number of vehicles licensed elsewhere working in Barnsley town centre.

Cross-border licensing allows a private hire vehicle to undertake work outside the area in which it is licensed, provided bookings are accepted through an appropriately licensed operator. However, enforcement can require cooperation between councils when the vehicle and driver are licensed by another authority.

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Barnsley licensing officers said in the report: “Proactive and reactive enforcement operations will continue to take place on a regular basis. Vehicle failures are always unacceptable, and our enforcement operations must convey the message that operators, vehicle proprietors and drivers must accept responsibility for any failures and make a change. All Licensing Authorities have clear standards that must be adhered to as failure to do so may put the safety of the public at risk when using hackney carriage or private hire vehicles.

“The principal consideration for all is, as always, one of public safety.

“Members are asked to support Officers and encourage private hire and hackney carriage drivers and operators to comply with the conditions of their licence and continue to always keep their vehicles as safe as possible for both drivers and customers.”