How does Wolverhampton Council support its hackney carriage taxi trade?

City of Wolverhampton Council uses a series of ways to support hackney carriage drivers in the city and protect their taxi trade from illegal competition.

The authority is continuing its Operation Trojan programme, which targets private hire drivers illegally plying-for-hire. This offence occurs when a private hire driver picks up passengers without a pre-booking through an operator licensed by the same council, or enters a hackney carriage rank looking for fares.

Undercover licensing and police officers carry out test purchases by approaching private hire vehicles and asking for journeys without a booking. If a driver accepts, the matter is investigated and licences are usually revoked, even on a first offence. The council says these operations have reduced the number of offending drivers in recent years.

The council also carries out an annual Hackney Carriage Measured Mile during National Licensing Week. This requires every licensed hackney carriage to take an officer on a one-mile journey to verify the taximeter is accurate and has not been tampered with. Any faults are corrected on site by specialist contractors, with drivers who miss the inspection required to arrange and pay for their own checks. The test ensures passengers are charged the correct fare and that all meters meet council standards.

In addition, the Traffic Regulation Order for city centre taxi ranks has been renewed. This makes it an offence for any vehicle other than a Wolverhampton-licensed hackney carriage to enter a rank, even for dropping off or collecting passengers. The council monitors compliance using city centre cameras and joint patrols with parking enforcement teams. Private hire vehicles breaking the rule face fines and possible further licensing action.

Wolverhampton’s approach to private hire vehicle licensing has faced national criticism for its stance on cross-border working, with the council issuing large numbers of private hire licences to drivers who operate in other parts of the country. Industry groups have raised concerns that this can undermine local enforcement elsewhere. However, away from out-of-area working and within its own boundaries, the council maintains strong enforcement and compliance activities, such as Operation Trojan and strict rank monitoring, to help protect the local hackney carriage trade and passenger safety.

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