Wolverhampton Council conducted nearly 500 taxi and private hire compliance operations in 12 month period with 985 notices dished out
- Perry Richardson
- Aug 4
- 2 min read
The City of Wolverhampton Council’s Regulatory Committee received a comprehensive overview of compliance operations conducted throughout 2024–2025, detailing a record number of enforcement events, targeted operations, and inclusive service audits.
A total of 488 compliance operations were completed, checking 7,089 vehicles. This represents a year-on-year increase of 98 operations when compared to 2023-2024. These included proactive patrols, multi-agency inspections, mystery shopper tests, and focused exercises like school transport and event-based checks.
During the 2024–2025 compliance operations detailed, a total of 985 notices were issued. This includes 821 Defect Rectification Notices and 164 Section 68 Notices (relating to vehicle fitness)
The most intensive operations were the 269 proactive patrols, known as Operation Hunter, which alone inspected over 3,700 vehicles. These efforts led to 414 Defect Rectification Notices and 45 Section 68 notices issued. The latter allows for immediate removal of vehicles deemed unfit for use.
Equality-focused initiatives were central to compliance testing this year. Volunteer-led test purchases were carried out to assess taxi services for people with disabilities. Three local operators passed accessibility tests involving wheelchair users and assistance dog users, confirming adherence to the Equality Act 2010.
Enforcement continued to focus on illegal plying for hire, with 14 drivers caught engaging in the activity. Three prom hire company checks are scheduled to be conducted shortly and will form part of next year’s reporting.
The Council also tested four drivers for drug use, with two returning positive results. Meanwhile, monitoring of tyre tread violations began this year, with reporting to follow in 2026.
Operator audits almost doubled, rising by 91% to cover 258 private hire operators. The Licensing team aims to audit every licensed operator annually, although delays in new operators becoming operational have posed some challenges. New rules now require operators to be inspection-ready before a licence is granted.
One operator licence was revoked following failure to respond to enquiries or attend a hearing, with no appeal submitted.
Ghost plates continue to be a focus. A total of 33 were identified, mostly during proactive patrols. These plates are designed to obscure vehicle identification and are considered a serious non-compliance issue.
According to the report, the service maintained its key performance indicator, ensuring a decision on safeguarding complaints within one working day.
This level of activity, coupled with increased enforcement capability and policy-led inspections, signals the Council’s ongoing effort to ensure compliance within its licensed trade across all regions.
