Lichfield District Council is introducing new, distinctive plates and signage for all licensed taxis and private hire vehicles to improve passenger safety and make it easier for the public to provide feedback.
The new system, which will be implemented across the district's 114 licensed vehicles and 131 drivers by April 1, 2026, includes new plates for the rear, front, and sides of vehicles.
Hackney carriages will also have council-set fares clearly displayed in the inside rear window.
All vehicles will now feature contact information for the council—including an email address, phone number, and a QR code—so passengers can easily share feedback or report concerns.
Drivers will also be issued new identification badges that must be worn at all times. Both the plates and badges feature built-in security measures to prevent counterfeiting.
Councillor Brian Yeates, Chair of the Regulatory & Licensing Committee, highlighted the importance of the new measures. "It’s important for the public to know whether a taxi is a Lichfield District Council-licensed hackney carriage, as these are the only vehicles that can be hailed or pick people up from a rank within the district," he said.
He added: “These changes are about making it easier for passengers to recognise licensed taxis, feel confident in their journey, and know how to get in touch with us if needed—while also supporting our local taxi trade.”
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Cory Lavery, 30, attacked the woman during an argument, leaving her with a bloodied nose and bruises.
Under current council policy, non-wheelchair accessible vehicles must be less than five years old when first licensed.
The penalty, which is now being pursued by debt collectors, was issued to a cabbie after he forgot to update his new car's registration details on the airport's automatic payment system.
In September 2024, Reading Council Licensing officers were made aware of a post on Facebook for ‘easy airport transfers from Reading’, by an account in the name of Samuel Szymczyk.
The incident, which has been widely shared online, shows a female passenger safely climbing out of the pit with the help of onlookers.
The new system allows riders to rate the service, price, driver, and vehicle. There is also a section for more detailed written feedback.
Kind-hearted taxi drivers from Ayr gave up their time last week for the annual Ayr Taxi Day Out, treating families from Whiteleys Retreat to a memorable trip.
This comes six years after the council rejected a similar proposal, citing discrimination against men.
The driver, a 65-year-old from Stratford-upon-Avon, had failed to inform the licensing authority of these convictions, which totalled nine penalty points on his licence.
Jez Shepherd, 22, of Morecambe, was charged after a collision involving a black Fiat Punto and a white Ford Mondeo taxi on Westgate.
The applications were made by Sedbergh-based Lady Cab Taxis for a Vauxhall Insignia and Windermere-based Ace Taxi for a Toyota Prius Plus.
Drunk PC Lee Tilson punched one driver in the chest multiple times and attempted to grab a second driver through his car window in Chelmsford.
This figure represents under 7% of the district's taxi fleet, falling significantly short of the Scottish Government's 20% target and starkly contrasting with Dundee's 40% accessibility rate.
Aaron Burnicle, 36, was snared in a cross-border investigation after he sent explicit messages and images to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl on the messaging app Kik.
Transport for London (TfL) has issued a formal notice to remind taxi and private hire vehicle licence holders about the professional standards expected of them.
This guidance is issued for use by licensing authorities handling applications for taxi operator, taxi sector, private hire car, private hire vehicle or booking office driver licences.
The decision on Friday 8 August, follows a petition from a group of taxi drivers who argued that the market is "over-saturated" and causing "unsustainable pressure" on their trade.
Abdul Mashud was caught on August 23, 2024, after he agreed to take undercover Reading Council Licensing officers from a petrol station near the festival site to Slough Train Station for an inflated fare of £120.