Wolverhampton PHV compliance checks at Manchester Airport uncover ‘ghost’ plate during licensing week operation
- Perry Richardson
- Jun 13
- 1 min read
A joint compliance operation involving Wolverhampton Council officers and Greater Manchester Police at Manchester Airport identified a suspected ‘ghost’ private hire vehicle licence plate during targeted inspections carried out as part of National Licensing Week.
According to Wolverhampton Council’s Public Protection team, 39 Wolverhampton-licensed private hire vehicles (PHVs) were checked during the enforcement exercise at the airport. Officers reported that one ‘ghost’ plate was identified and a separate vehicle was found with a cracked headlight.
The operation formed part of wider National Licensing Week activity, an annual initiative that sees licensing authorities and enforcement agencies conduct inspections and awareness campaigns aimed at improving standards across the licensed transport sector.
‘Ghost’ plates are generally understood to be cloned, altered or otherwise illegitimate licence plates used to disguise a vehicle’s true identity. Such offences can raise concerns around public safety, regulatory compliance and enforcement, particularly in the private hire sector where vehicle and driver licensing records are relied upon by passengers and authorities.
Despite the two issues detected, Wolverhampton Council said the remaining vehicles inspected met the required standards. In a statement shared on social media, the authority said: “39 Wolverhampton PHVs checked. 1 ‘Ghost’ plate identified and 1 PHV had a cracked headlight. Pleased to say all other PHVs were fully compliant.”
The findings come as local authorities continue to work with police forces and transport hubs to monitor licensed vehicles operating outside their home licensing areas, a practice that has become increasingly common following the growth of cross-border private hire working.
