Wolverhampton-licensed PHVs checked in Halton and Warrington during cross-border operation
- Perry Richardson
- 8 minutes ago
- 1 min read
A team of compliance officers from City of Wolverhampton Council joined forces with Cheshire Police last night to carry out licensing checks on private hire vehicles (PHV) operating in Halton and Warrington.
The enforcement operation focused on PHVs licensed by Wolverhampton but working in neighbouring areas. According to the council, eleven vehicles were checked and found to be fully compliant with licence conditions. However, officers reminded drivers of the need to visibly wear their driver badges when working.
The joint action reflects a pattern of councils checking vehicles they have licensed, even when those vehicles operate primarily outside their own area. Wolverhampton is known for issuing a large number of licences, many to drivers who do not regularly work within the city.
Despite this, councils remain responsible for the drivers and vehicles they licence. To meet that obligation, licensing teams will often travel across the country to carry out compliance checks where their vehicles are working.
Cross-border working is legal under current licensing laws. A driver can operate anywhere in England and Wales, as long as the booking is made through an operator licensed in the same area as their vehicle and driver licence. However, the practice continues to raise concern in the trade due to differences in local licensing standards and limited enforcement resources.
A City of Wolverhampton Council Public Protection spokesperson said: “Last night, Compliance Officers worked in Halton and Warrington with colleagues from Cheshire Police carrying out compliance checks on licensed City of Wolverhampton Council PHVs.
“11 vehicles found fully compliant, but drivers, please wear your badges when working, you had them with you!”
