Multiple "unroadworthy" taxis have been found during police safety checks. Officers have hit out at the "disappointing" discoveries, which they said put passengers' safety at risk.
Officers from Leicestershire Roads Policing Unit (RPU) carried out the road safety operation on the roads around East Midlands Airport, checking the road worthiness of cars, particularly taxis and private hire vehicles.
Working with officers from the airport policing team they stopped 29 vehicles identifying a number of offences.
They were also joined by staff from the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Taxi Licencing Department and escorted 21 vehicles to be checked by vehicle examiners.
• Six drivers were given ‘delayed suspensions’ which means they have a certain period of time to fix vehicle defects or risk losing their taxi licence.
• Two immediate licence suspensions were issued (these being due to driving vehicles with defective tyres in a dangerous condition).
• Six drivers were reported for traffic offences, including no insurance and illegal tyres.
• A prohibition notice was issued on one taxi due to it being in an unroadworthy condition.
PC Adam Sparrow from the RPU said: “The aim of the operation was to ensure that people going to the airport for their summer holiday arrive safely. From an operational point of view it was a great success and we had lots of positive comments from passengers and the other agencies we worked with.
“However, it is disappointing that we found taxis that were unroadworthy risking the safety of their passengers, not something you expect when you get in a taxi.
“We will be carrying out another operation in the near future and would urge taxi drivers to ensure their vehicles are 100% roadworthy.”
Members of the Wolverhampton Taxi and Private Hire Federation met on Tuesday, August 5, to discuss their next steps after claiming the city council is "dragging their feet."
The city's licensing committee renewed Iqbal Akhtar's licence after twice postponing a decision to await an update on the criminal proceedings.
The accreditation gives officers additional tools to help tackle anti-social behaviour, manage traffic incidents, and work more closely with police.
The Glasgow City Licensing Committee has approved a 3.32% increase to taxi fares after an independent review concluded that the "costs of operating a tax in Glasgow...have increased."
The driver had previously taken a speed awareness course and admitted to three recent speeding incidents from 2023 and 2024.
According to a Facebook post by his employer, Cadzow Cars, the driver was "seriously assaulted" on Mill Road shortly before 1am.
Stirling residents, and the local taxi trade, are being asked to provide their views on a new Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle and Driver Policy.
A new study by taxi insurance specialists ChoiceQuote has identified the most and least expensive cities in the world for taking a cab.
This change marks the end of "cash only" rides across the borough, ensuring that drivers can no longer refuse fares from customers who wish to pay by card.
A Grimsby taxi driver, Ronnie Gibson, swapped his cab for a bicycle to raise over £2,000 for a hospital charity after successfully being treated for prostate cancer.
Research carried out in collaboration with Chorley Taxi Association found more than 200 PHV users who took part in the survey reported feeling unsafe when using PHVs in the county.
Terry found the bag, thought to be a Mini Kelly black alligator with silver hardware, and immediately recognised it as something special.
The proposal comes as part of a wider effort to improve taxi services for people with disabilities.
The petition, which has over 1,200 signatures, calls for a cap on the number of private hire vehicles to address concerns about driver safety and the sustainability of the taxi industry
The current policy requires applicants to provide a criminal record check for any country where they have lived for six months or more.
Nigel Woodford, 55, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article after the incident, which occurred on July 17.
The initiative, dubbed "Operation Recordings," was a collaborative effort between the Chester Beat Management Team, the Special Constabulary, and various local licensing teams.
On Sunday night, August 3, officers on patrol in Eastleigh witnessed the cabbie's dangerous driving.
The crash, which involved a Peugeot taxi and a Volkswagen Golf, took place on Icknield Street near the Hockley Tesco Superstore around 3am on August 2.
The driver claimed he was suffering from a medical condition that caused "uncontrollable itching," but his explanation was rejected by both councils.