Wolverhampton Council is taking steps to curb the number of private hire drivers it licenses following a series of sexual abuse cases involving licensed taxis.
The council's decision comes after a significant increase in the number of licensed drivers over the past decade.
In 2014, there were around 1,200 licensed drivers in Wolverhampton. However, following regulatory changes, this figure soared to over 45,000, with drivers operating in towns as far away as Blackpool and Southampton.
Concerned about the potential reputational damage associated with licensed private hire vehicles being implicated in sexual abuse cases, the council is now seeking to deter new applications.
A report for the council’s latest meeting of its Audit and Risk Committee on 23 September 2024, highlighted the correlation between the number of licensees and the likelihood of serious incidents.
The report also referenced high-profile child sexual exploitation scandals in Rotherham and Telford that involved PHV drivers. It noted that licensed vehicles can provide a "camouflage" for trafficking vulnerable individuals and grooming activities.
In response to these concerns, the council is implementing measures to reduce the number of applications it receives, including requiring drivers to attend in person for licensing, which is designed to discourage people.
Changes following the Deregulation Act 2015, coincided with major improvements in how Wolverhampton licensed drivers, making it one of the fastest services in the country.
While in some areas it could take up to four months to get a licence, Wolverhampton’s digital system was fast and efficient which caused a boom in applications.
As numbers rose, the extra income was used for more upgrades and to cut charges – making the service even more attractive.
To maintain high safeguarding and safety standards, the council is spending the cash on a system which checks every driver’s DBS certificate status every day, airport style facial recognition software to process new applicants and officers carrying out hundreds of safety checks in all parts of the country.
Matthew Knowles, 45, from Foxwood, was convicted by a jury in August of two counts of meeting a girl for sexual purposes.
Two private hire drivers from Darlington have been fined after being caught illegally plying for hire in the town centre.
DfI Minister John O’Dowd has announced a pilot scheme to allow taxis in certain classes to use designated bus lanes in Belfast during road works associated with the Grand Central Station project.
A woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting a taxi driver and causing £500 worth of damage to his cab.
On Tuesday 9 October, City of York Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee met to discuss its draft new Hackney Carriage and Private Hire policy.
Black cab drivers in London are facing a significant issue due to a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL).
The bus gate was installed six months ago on Corporation Street in Preston by Lancashire County Council (LCC) in a bid to reduce traffic at peak times and allow buses right of way.
John Igoe, director of Mi Taxis Nuneaton has offered £1,000 to catch intruder who assaulted his operator at 8am on the morning of Saturday 12 October.
Driver has been reported to Cheshire West and Chester Council enforcement team who will hopefully take swift action
This is a fantastic initiative, a life changer for these ladies to be able earn an income to feed their families.
Danish Ali, who works for Ride Taxis, reported three separate attacks in recent weeks, involving young people throwing stones at his vehicle.
The reveal at the 'We, Robot' event also saw announcements for expanded autonomous driving capabilities in the Model 3 and Model Y Tesla vehicles.
Plain-clothed officers from the Tactical Firearms Unit (TFU) spotted the passenger acting suspiciously in Cromwell Road on Friday, October 4.
The Royal Borough Council is considering ditching the traditional purple livery for licensed hackney carriages, replacing it with a simpler design that features the borough's coat of arms.
A London cab driver who miraculously survived a heart attack has launched a fundraising campaign to provide more defibrillators across the city.
Dozens of angry Uber drivers took to the streets of Bristol on Wednesday to protest against the company's recent decision to slash customer fares by 50%.
Serwan Mahmoud, 43, was caught transporting £76,000 in cash on the M4 near Cardiff.
Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, has outlined the company's ambitious plans to accelerate its transition to a fully electric fleet in the UK.
Chesterfield drivers staged a protest outside the town hall on Tuesday, October 8, to voice their concerns about the impact of Wolverhampton-licensed cabs on their livelihoods.
Taxi drivers may avoid seeking professional help due to concerns that it could be reported to the DVLA, affecting their ability to drive