EIGHT-WEEK SUSPENSIONS: Mobile phone usage and insurance issue prompts action against two Bolton Council licensed private hire drivers
- Perry Richardson
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Two licensed private hire drivers were suspended and a separate licence application refused following a closed session of the Bolton Council Licensing and Environmental Regulation Committee on 18 November 2025, according to the latest published meeting minutes.
Councillors heard three driver-related matters, all of which resulted in formal sanctions after unanimous votes.
In the first case, relating to alleged misconduct, the licensed private hire driver did not attend the hearing but submitted an email explaining his absence.
Following deliberation, councillors resolved to suspend the driver’s private hire driver licence for eight weeks, while taking no action against his vehicle licence. The minutes record that the committee “do not consider the driver to be a fit and proper person to hold a licence at this time”.
Licensing committee upholds fit and proper test following non-attendance, repeat traffic offences and safeguarding breaches
The decision was based on a conviction from 22 January 2025 for keeping a motor vehicle that did not meet insurance requirements, which resulted in a £200 fine. The driver was also found to have breached the conditions of his licence in connection with that offence.
A second misconduct case, involved a licensed private hire driver who attended the meeting with a representative. The committee again imposed an eight-week suspension of the driver’s licence, with no action taken against either his vehicle or operator licences.
In this case, councillors cited a conviction from 20 March 2025 for breaching requirements relating to control of a vehicle mobile phone. The minutes note this was the driver’s third such conviction and was classed as a Major Traffic Offence under the council’s Statement of Fitness and Suitability.
The driver had received six penalty points, and the committee recorded that a conviction of less than three years would generally lead to revocation. The driver also admitted not wearing a seatbelt and breaching licence conditions.
