PLYING AT THE RACES: Wolverhampton-licensed private hire driver faces action after illegally plying-for-hire at Cheltenham Festival with two dodgy tyres
- Perry Richardson
- 21 hours ago
- 1 min read
A private hire driver licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council faces potential police action and a licence review after enforcement officers found a vehicle operating with two illegal tyres during checks in Cheltenham.
The issue was identified during a late-night compliance operation targeting private hire vehicles working after the races in the Gloucestershire town. According to City of Wolverhampton Council’s Public Protection team, officers were checking Wolverhampton-licensed vehicles operating alongside Avon and Somerset Police’s Bristol ‘Taxi Cop’ unit.
The enforcement team said the driver would be reported after officers discovered the vehicle was “plying-for-hire with a PHV with 2 illegal tyres”. Authorities added that police action and a licensing review would follow the incident.
Cross-border working by private hire vehicles has become increasingly common during major events such as race meetings, where demand for transport rises sharply and drivers travel from outside licensing areas to operate via pre-booked journeys.
Joint compliance operation with police identifies vehicle safety breach while working after race meeting
Licensing authorities routinely carry out joint operations with police and neighbouring councils during large events to check vehicle safety, driver licensing compliance and insurance requirements.
City of Wolverhampton Council has one of the largest private hire licensing operations in England, with many of its licensed drivers working in towns and cities outside the authority’s boundaries through app-based booking platforms.
