TRIO of private hire drivers handed fines and penalty points after plying-for-hire convictions in Liverpool
- Perry Richardson
- Feb 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 27
Three private hire drivers have been prosecuted after a Liverpool City Council test purchase exercise found they were illegally plying-for-hire and driving without insurance in the city centre.
According to Liverpool City Council Licensing, the enforcement activity took place last year and resulted in court action against the trio. The drivers were convicted of plying-for-hire, an offence that prohibits private hire vehicles from accepting fares without a pre-booking, and of operating without valid insurance.
In total, 24 penalty points were issued across the three cases. Fines, charges and court costs amounted to £2,650, the council confirmed in a statement published on its official licensing channel.
Plying-for-hire remains one of the most serious issues within the private hire sector, as it cuts across the regulatory distinction between hackney carriage taxis, which can lawfully rank and be hailed on the street, and private hire vehicles, which must be pre-booked through a licensed operator. Driving without appropriate hire and reward insurance further exposes drivers and passengers to significant financial and legal risk.
Liverpool City Council confirms three drivers prosecuted following city centre test purchase operation, with £2,650 in combined fines and costs
Convictions of this nature can also trigger further review by licensing authorities, including potential suspension or revocation of driver licences, depending on local policy and the drivers’ previous records. The council has not detailed whether additional licensing sanctions were imposed in these cases.
Test purchase exercises are commonly used by licensing authorities to assess compliance in hotspot areas, particularly city centres with high footfall and late-night economies. Such operations are often targeted at tackling illegal touting and ensuring a level playing field for licensed hackney carriage drivers who are permitted to accept immediate hires.
The outcome may also have insurance implications. Points for driving without valid cover can invalidate existing policies and increase future premiums, while repeat offending can restrict access to specialist motor insurers serving the taxi and private hire market.
