SUSPENSION AND WARNINGS: Cross-border private hire compliance operation checks 27 vehicles across Nuneaton and Bedworth
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
A joint private hire vehicle and taxi compliance operation carried out in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth has been described as a success by the authorities involved, following checks on 27 licensed vehicles earlier this month.
The operation was led by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council Licensing Officers, working alongside counterparts from City of Wolverhampton Council and Warwickshire Police. Both Nuneaton and Wolverhampton licensed vehicles were stopped as part of the checks.
Of the drivers spoken to during the enforcement activity, seven received verbal warnings for compliance-related issues. One driver had their licence suspended, pending the completion of required repairs to the vehicle to the satisfaction of licensing officers.
Council officers said the operation demonstrated the benefits of joint working across local authority boundaries, particularly in areas with high numbers of out-of-area licensed vehicles operating on local roads. All agencies involved agreed the checks had delivered a positive outcome.
Multi-agency enforcement saw warnings issued and one licence suspended, with further operations planned later this year.
Further enforcement activity is expected later in the year, including another operation within the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth. The councils involved confirmed that future operations will continue to be supported and funded by City of Wolverhampton Council, with Warwickshire Police and potentially other local authorities providing additional support.
Cllr Tony Venson, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enforcement, said: “This is great news, these checks not only help to ensure public safety, but they also guarantee that the private hire and taxi drivers working within our borough and beyond are operating legally and with appropriately safe vehicles.
“I look forward to seeing more of these operations taking place in the future.”
Cllr Bhupinder Gakhal, Cabinet Member for Residents Services at City of Wolverhampton Council said: "We take our licensing responsibilities seriously and our officers work proactively across the country, wherever our drivers work, carrying out regular operations with partners to protect the public and ensure they travel in safety.
"We will continue to support Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and others to carry out further compliance operations such as this to make sure vehicles meet the requirements to carry members of the public.
“This includes cracking down on taxis using 'ghost plates', which are illegal, and using our laser readers to ensure all vehicles have at least 1.6mm of tyre tread."
Inspector Wayne Boulton of Warwickshire Police said: “We were pleased to see most taxis we checked were safe and compliant. These checks help keep the public, especially vulnerable people, safe from unlicensed drivers.
“We urge passengers to book through reputable companies or apps and always check the driver’s ID and displayed licence.
“Following the success of this operation, we plan to repeat it soon to cover other areas of the county.”
