Licence hearing outcomes show rising refusals and falling reviews for drivers licensed in Wolverhampton
- Perry Richardson
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Wolverhampton Council has published detailed figures on driver licence hearings for 2024–2025, showing a marked increase in new driver licence refusals, alongside a reduction in reviews of existing licence holders. The latest statistics, covering hearings, appeals, and enforcement action, reflect continued focus on robust standards and thorough decision-making.
A total of 1,991 hearings for new hackney carriage and private hire driver licence applications were held during the year. This marks a 50% increase compared to the previous year’s 1,321 hearings. Of these, 640 applications were refused, forming a refusal rate of 32.14%, up from 26% the year before.
When isolating only granted and refused applications, the refusal rate rises further to 38.86%, compared to 31.04% previously. This shift is said to be partly due to wider adoption of the National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S) by other licensing authorities, allowing Wolverhampton to access more information about applicants. The introduction of stricter fitness guidelines by the Regulatory Committee in July 2024 has also influenced decision outcomes.
At the same time, the number of licence reviews for existing drivers fell by 25%, from 1,286 to 960. This reduction is seen as a positive step, reflecting improved compliance across the licensed trade. Fewer drivers were found in breach of licence conditions, and fewer were referred unnecessarily for review.
Despite the reduction in reviews, the proportion of serious enforcement decisions rose. Immediate revocations climbed to 35.6%, up from 28.4% the year before. Suspensions also rose slightly, accounting for 22% of outcomes. The main contributing factor remains failure to maintain a subscription to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Update Service. This often occurs when drivers leave the trade and no longer engage with the Council.
The lack of a direct debit payment option for the DBS Update Service continues to present issues. Payments are taken via card, and if the card expires or is not updated, the subscription lapses. Drivers are then required to purchase a new certificate and attend a hearing. Licences are suspended until a new certificate is submitted.
The Council’s commitment to daily DBS checks for all licensed drivers, more frequent than the industry standard, means these lapses are identified quickly.
In terms of appeals, there were 32 cases resolved during the year. Of these, 27 were dismissed by the Magistrates’ or Crown Court, one was upheld, and four were withdrawn. This aligns with the previous year, where only one appeal was also upheld. A total of 1,000 enforcement decisions were technically appealable, indicating that fewer than 4% progressed to court.
The Council recovered £53,751 in legal costs from dismissed appeals in 2024–2025, with an average of £1,378 per case. A new initiative introduced in May 2024 to recover costs through a dedicated Taxi Licensing Credit Controller has already improved collection rates. Payment plans have been established in several cases, and older debts have been referred for external recovery.
The Council expects this initiative to act as a deterrent to meritless appeals, especially where the driver has no realistic chance of overturning the decision. The courts do not enforce cost awards between parties, meaning the Council must act independently to recover funds.
