Out-of-area private hire vehicle checks in South Yorkshire brings together multiple licensing authorities
- Perry Richardson
- 8 hours ago
- 1 min read
City of Wolverhampton Council’s Public Protection team joined forces with licensing officers from Sheffield, Leeds, Barnsley and Kirklees Councils in a joint enforcement operation aimed at improving public safety across South Yorkshire.
The multi-agency checks, supported by South Yorkshire Police, focused on vehicle condition, licensing compliance and driver standards. Officers from the participating councils worked together to share intelligence and strengthen enforcement partnerships between regions.
A spokesperson for WV Public Protection confirmed that all Wolverhampton-licensed vehicles inspected during the operation were found to be compliant. Only one driver received a reminder about vehicle licensing conditions.
The joint initiative formed part of ongoing national cooperation between licensing authorities to maintain standards within the taxi and private hire industry and ensure passenger safety.
Multi-agency checks have become an increasingly common feature of enforcement activity, bringing together councils, police forces, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to target non-compliant drivers and vehicles.
The work is aimed at tackling ongoing challenges around “out-of-area” licensing, where drivers obtain licences from councils with different standards and then work predominantly elsewhere. Critics say the practice can create enforcement difficulties, as responsibility for compliance rests with the issuing authority.
By combining efforts, licensing teams can monitor vehicles from multiple areas, take immediate action where necessary, and report findings back to the relevant councils for follow-up.
A City of Wolverhampton Council Public Protection spokesperson said: “Last night we joined South Yorkshire Police, Barnsley Council, Kirklees Council, Leeds & Sheffield Licensing in a joint operation.
“Working together we achieve more - strengthening partnerships across South Yorkshire & Nationwide, united by one shared goal: Public safety.”
