CROSS BORDER STING: Wolverhampton licensed PHV driver hit with ban after test purchase reveals driver plying-for-hire
- Perry Richardson
- Mar 14
- 1 min read
A private hire driver licensed by Wolverhampton City Council has been banned from driving for six months after being caught plying for hire without insurance during a Liverpool City Council test purchase operation.
Liverpool City Council Licensing confirmed that the driver was detected during an enforcement exercise carried out last year aimed at identifying illegal taxi and private hire activity in the city. The driver was found to be operating without valid insurance while accepting work.
Following the investigation, the case was brought before the courts where the driver was recently sentenced. The court imposed eight penalty points and a financial penalty. The additional points took the driver’s licence total beyond 12 points, triggering an automatic six-month driving disqualification.
According to Liverpool City Council Licensing, the incident occurred as part of a targeted compliance operation designed to monitor vehicles operating illegally or outside licensing regulations. Test purchase operations typically involve officers posing as passengers to identify drivers unlawfully accepting fares or operating without appropriate documentation.
Court sentence highlights cross-border licensing and insurance compliance risks for private hire drivers operating outside their licensing area.
Private hire drivers are legally prohibited from plying-for-hire, meaning they must only undertake journeys that have been pre-booked through a licensed operator. In addition, vehicles must hold appropriate hire and reward insurance to legally transport passengers.
The council did not provide further details on whether additional licensing action will be taken against the driver’s private hire licence following the court ruling.
