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Major cross-border taxi enforcement operation checks 108 vehicles licensed by 26 councils
- Perry Richardson
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Licensing officers have inspected 108 taxis and private hire vehicles during a major cross-border enforcement operation involving vehicles licensed by 26 different local authorities.
The operation took place on the morning of 12 August and brought together South Gloucestershire Council licensing officers with police and licensing teams from Bristol, Wolverhampton, Newport and Tewkesbury.
The scale of the licensing spread was wide, with the 108 vehicles and drivers stopped holding licences issued by 26 separate authorities. The exercise focused specifically on vehicles and drivers working across council boundaries, an increasingly important area of enforcement for licensing teams.
Officers checked vehicle condition, licensing documentation and whether drivers were complying with the requirements attached to their licences.
Two immediate stop notices were issued during the operation. The notices prevented the affected vehicles from continuing to operate until the safety concerns identified by officers had been addressed.
Several other licensing matters were also identified. These have been referred to the relevant licensing authorities for further investigation, although South Gloucestershire Council did not disclose the nature of those issues or which authorities licensed the drivers or vehicles concerned.
Despite the enforcement action, officials reported a high overall compliance rate. Licensing officers said they were particularly encouraged by the standard of vehicle condition found among those inspected.
Councillor John Bradbury, cabinet member responsible for licensing at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Licensed taxi and private hire drivers play an important role in helping residents and visitors travel safely around our communities. Operations such as this allow the council and the police to work together to ensure that vehicles and drivers meet the standards expected of them and that passenger safety remains a priority.
“It is particularly pleasing that the vast majority of drivers and vehicles checked were fully compliant, demonstrating the professionalism of the licensed trade across the region.”
The involvement of vehicles licensed by 26 authorities demonstrates the challenge facing councils attempting to enforce taxi and private hire standards where drivers routinely operate away from the authority that issued their licence.
Cross-border working has become a significant feature of private hire licensing, meaning roadside operations can require enforcement teams to share information with numerous councils before outstanding matters can be investigated or resolved.
