
A private hire driver's licence has been revoked for using illegal number plates and fraudulent insurance.
As part of the joint enforcement operation during Cheltenham’s November race meet, on Friday 15 November 2025, a Wolverhampton licensed private hire vehicle was inspected by the Avon and Somerset Police taxi compliance officer in company with a Cheltenham BC licensing officer.
As well as finding that the private hire driver was failing to wear his badge, or have his second one on display as required, the vehicle was found to be displaying “ghost plates”. Ghost plates are illegal number plates which bypass ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), therefore avoiding some camera enforced restrictions and charges.
The vehicle licence was immediately revoked by the police who also took other enforcement action, and the matter was referred to the City of Wolverhampton licensing team (CWC).
As a result of this incident, it was found that the driver had previously supplied a fraudulent insurance certificate to the CWC licensing team.
The CWC licensing committee chose to revoke both the private hire driver and vehicle licences as the driver was found to be no longer fit and proper to hold any licence with them. The driver will be placed on the National Register of Revocations, so if he applies to any other licensing authority for a taxi or private hire licence, they will be aware of this case.
Councillor Victoria Atherstone, cabinet member for safety and communities at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: “This successful case of partnership working sends a very clear message that we will not tolerate illegal activity in our town and ensure that we protect Cheltenham residents and our visitors through strong partnership working with other police forces and licensing authorities.”
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: "We take our licensing responsibilities seriously and our officers work proactively across the country, wherever our drivers work, supporting and carrying out regular operations with partners to protect the public and ensure they travel in safety."
The Avon and Somerset Police taxi compliance officer, PC Quinton said: “The overwhelming majority of taxi and private hire drivers are safe, reliable, hardworking and trustworthy. Those who are dishonest, as in this case, can expect to be investigated and appropriate action taken by both the police and Licensing Authority - regardless of where they are licensed."

The proposal is designed to modernise the licensing system, reduce duplication, and improve efficiency while maintaining all required safety, knowledge, and training standards.

At Bolton Council’s licensing committee on January 6, the council highlighted its strict stance on driver conduct, resulting in one suspension and one final warning for the operators involved.

The council is considering new rules that would require taxi & PH firms to carry out criminal record checks on all staff members and notify passengers if their driver is licensed in a different town.

The incident took place just before 1am on Wednesday, February 4, on Mardale Road, where a taxi parked on a private driveway was set on fire.

Darren McCartney, a former prison officer and hostage negotiator, appeared before the North Ayrshire Licensing Committee following objections from Police Scotland regarding his criminal record.

Drivers are proposing to scrap the percentage-based surcharge in favour of entirely new, higher fixed tariffs for larger vehicles carrying up to eight people.

The St Annes-on-Sea operator has partnered with Greenway Power Group (GPG) and the Patons Group to provide the technology, which is also being made available for public use.

Officers stormed properties on February 5, detaining a woman, 42, and a man, 46, on suspicion of fraud; a man, 22, on suspicion of handling stolen goods; nd a man, 18, on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.

Abdulsalam Idlebi was found in breach of discrimination policies following the incident at a taxi rank on Irvine’s Bank Street last November.

Police have issued a fresh plea for help exactly one year after the body of 47-year-old Jesbir Singh Khela was discovered in a burnt-out car.

The cost of a standard one-year driver’s licence would jump from £150 to £165, while those opting for a three-year licence would see prices climb from £240 to £264.

Less than a third of taxi drivers in Greater Manchester are using new government-funded grants to switch to electric vehicles, according to research by the Clean Cities Campaign.

Under the new timeline, drivers must have a vehicle newer than a 2009 plate by December 1 of this year to renew their licence, with standards tightening further to a 2014 plate by 2028.

Research by Go.Compare Car Insurance found that 46% of adults “wouldn’t feel safe using a driverless Uber,” highlighting a significant hurdle for the government-backed technology currently being trialled in the capital.

Councillors in the Royal Borough are set to make a final decision on Monday 9 February, on a proposed 10 per cent increase to daytime taxi fares.

A North Ayrshire man has been denied a taxi licence following a "very serious" series of alcohol-fuelled offences that included stamping on a customer's face and assaulting police officers.

Alex Kendall, boss of British tech company Wayve, posted a video on social media to show off his car's “impressive drive without intervention” on his way to receive an OBE.

The pair, aged 50 and 23, convinced the driver to take them from Lisbon, Portugal, all the way to Barcelona, Spain.

Officers pulled over the Toyota Prius on Brown Street and discovered what they believe to be illegal drugs inside the car.

Members of the district council have adopted a new HC and PH licensing policy removing the requirement for the knowledge test to make it easier and cheaper for people to start working as drivers.
