PLYING-FOR-HIRE: Birmingham rogue taxi and PHV crackdown continues as driver fined £1,500 for illegal pick-up
- Perry Richardson
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Police and council licensing officers in Birmingham are continuing joint enforcement operations targeting rogue taxi activity in the city centre amid ongoing concerns around passenger safety and illegal street pick-ups.
The renewed warning comes after a licensed private hire driver was prosecuted for illegally plying for hire after collecting two women from Navigation Street on a Friday night in September last year. The driver admitted the offence in court and was handed a bill totalling almost £1,500 alongside eight penalty points on his driving licence.
Authorities said the penalty leaves the driver at risk of a driving ban should he commit any further motoring offences.
The enforcement activity forms part of wider efforts to reduce risks linked to unbooked private hire journeys in Birmingham’s night-time economy. Officers say passengers can be particularly vulnerable after nights out and are urging the public to only use properly booked and traceable services.
Birmingham authorities have stepped up enforcement activity in the city centre after a private hire driver was prosecuted for illegally plying for hire following a late-night passenger pick-up.
Under current legislation, private hire vehicles are prohibited from plying for hire or accepting passengers directly from the street. Unlike licensed hackney carriages, private hire drivers must only undertake journeys that are pre-booked through a licensed operator.
Officials warned that passengers entering illegally operating vehicles may not have the same safeguards available through licensed and traceable bookings. Concerns include the inability to properly track journeys and potential insurance complications in the event of a collision.
Joint operations involving police and local authority licensing teams regularly monitor key city centre pick-up points to identify drivers suspected of breaching licensing laws. Enforcement activity has become increasingly visible around Birmingham’s transport hubs and busy nightlife areas.
Chief Inspector Vicki Stott, of Birmingham city centre police, said: "The safety of everyone coming in and out of the city centre is paramount, and one way of doing this is making sure they are travelling safely.
"An unbooked journey is dangerous for the passenger, as there is no record of the journey which can be traced.
"The vast majority of private hire drivers are operating legitimately and responsibly, and it's not fair when someone breaks the law to make quick money.
"We know the importance of keeping everyone safe, and we won't have vulnerable people, especially women and girls, in a position where they are not safe.
"We want to help make sure Birmingham, and the wider West Midlands towns and cities, are safe and law-abiding places for everyone to visit, work or live."
