Liverpool City licensed private hire driver caught drug driving during COVID-19 lockdown

A Liverpool City licensed private hire driver has been caught drug driving by Merseyside Police during the current COVID-19 lockdown.

Using social media to highlight the offence, Merseyside's Road Policing Unit @MerPolTraffic, wrote: "We still have drug driving licensed drivers! Never been more crucial to the community, sad to see, but huge thanks to the majority who are doing a sterling job."

A picture accompanying the statement shows a Ford Focus sporting a Liverpool City Council private hire plate parked roadside and illuminating police car sirens on its rear.

In August 2019, it was announced that Liverpool's taxi and private hire drivers were set to face random drug testing following a number of arrests and convictions for driving while under the influence of banned substances.

Merseyside Police revealed that during a 365 day period, between July 2018 and July 2019, 114 taxi and/or private hire drivers had been caught by the force driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Those figures were broken down to show 11 to be drink related offences and 103 drug related.

54 of those drivers were licensed by Liverpool City Council, 40 licensed by Sefton Council and 15 by Knowsley Council, with 5 from other areas.

The latest addition to those figures will now face charges of driving while under the influence of banned substances and will also have to face his licensing authority at Liverpool City Council where he's likely to lose his licence.

Image credit: Twitter - @MerPolTraffic