ON THE ROAD: Wolverhampton Council Licensing officers in several locations during day of extensive taxi and PHV cross-border checks
- Perry Richardson
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
Taxi and private hire vehicle compliance officers from Wolverhampton City Council took part in a series of enforcement and safeguarding operations across the Midlands on Thursday as part of National Licensing Week 2026.
The operations saw compliance teams deployed at several high-profile locations, including Download Festival, East Midlands Airport and East Midlands Parkway railway station, where officers carried out vehicle and driver checks aimed at maintaining passenger safety and licensing standards.
According to updates shared by WV Public Protection, compliance officers conducted thorough inspections of licensed vehicles operating in and around Download Festival, one of the UK’s largest music events. The checks included vehicle condition assessments and verification of driver licensing credentials to ensure those transporting festival-goers were operating legally and safely.
Images released from the operation showed officers examining vehicles in designated pick-up and drop-off areas near the festival site. Enforcement teams appeared to be carrying out roadside inspections alongside wider transport and public safety activity linked to the event.
Wolverhampton compliance officers joined multi-agency enforcement operations across the Midlands, combining vehicle inspections, driver checks and safeguarding awareness activity during National Licensing Week.
Separate operations were also undertaken at East Midlands Airport and East Midlands Parkway station. These locations regularly experience significant passenger demand from taxi and private hire services, particularly during major events and peak travel periods. Compliance officers used the opportunity to engage with drivers and carry out checks on vehicles working in the area.
In a further strand of activity, Wolverhampton compliance officers joined West Midlands Police in an operation focused on raising awareness of child sexual exploitation. The initiative formed part of National Licensing Week’s wider safeguarding agenda, which highlights the role licensed drivers can play in identifying and reporting concerns involving vulnerable passengers.
National Licensing Week brings together licensing authorities, police forces and enforcement partners from across the UK to undertake targeted operations covering taxis, private hire vehicles, alcohol licensing, gambling regulation and safeguarding. The annual campaign aims to demonstrate the role licensing enforcement plays in protecting the public while encouraging compliance across regulated industries.
The taxi and private hire sector has increasingly become involved in safeguarding initiatives in recent years, with drivers often receiving specialist training designed to help identify signs of exploitation, trafficking and other risks affecting vulnerable passengers.
