HANDHELD USAGE: Manchester City Council grants private hire licence with warning after six point mobile phone offence
- Perry Richardson
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
Manchester City Council has granted a new private hire driver licence subject to a formal warning after a Licensing and Appeals Sub Committee considered a mobile phone offence that resulted in penalty points.
The decision was made at a hearing on 22 December 2025, where councillors reviewed an application from the driver.
The Sub Committee heard that the driver had been convicted of a CU80 offence for breaching vehicle control requirements by using a mobile phone while driving. The offence is classed as a major traffic matter and resulted in six penalty points. Licensing officers told the panel the conviction had not initially been declared and was not secured until after the applicant had notified the licensing unit.
Addressing councillors, the driver accepted full responsibility for the incident and described it as a mistake made while driving in heavy traffic. The licensee said they answered a call while stationary in a tailback and acknowledged the police observed the action. The applicant told the hearing they otherwise had a clean driving record and said the incident would not be repeated.
Licensing panel accepts one-off lapse but highlights zero tolerance on in-vehicle phone use
In response to questions, the driver confirmed that their mother was in the vehicle at the time and that the call was from a friend wishing to speak directly to them. Councillors were told there were no passengers being carried as part of licensed work at the time of the offence.
After considering the evidence, the Sub Committee accepted the incident was an isolated lapse rather than an indicator of ongoing risk. However, councillors stressed that mobile phone use while driving presents clear safety concerns and must be treated seriously within the licensed trade.
The panel agreed to grant the private hire licence, attaching a formal warning to remind the driver of their responsibilities and the standards expected of licensed drivers operating under Manchester City Council’s taxi licensing framework.
