Posted on the 24th June 2026 in PHTM News

BRISTOL COUNCILLORS UNDER FIRE FOR LETTING LAW-BREAKING TAXI DRIVERS STAY ON THE ROAD

Bristol City Council is repeatedly letting taxi and private hire drivers keep their licences despite being caught speeding, running red lights, and using mobile phones while driving.

An analysis of 137 pages of newly published committee minutes by the Local Democracy Reporting Service reveals that the local authority regularly takes a lenient approach.

In one instance from last June, a driver known as "HN" was caught driving with a phone on his lap. Despite a previous 2018 incident where he was caught texting and nearly hit a pedestrian, he received just a one-month suspension.

Committee minutes noted that while the offence was serious: "Members did however give consideration to the HN’s significant history as a licensed driver within the city, noting that his record was previously unblemished and this appeared to be an isolated incident.”

The documents show that 14 drivers caught speeding were allowed to continue operating, sometimes with only brief suspensions. Among them were drivers who used phones, closely passed cyclists, or ran red lights. One driver, "PI," even mounted and drove along a pavement to avoid traffic, claiming it was a "momentary lapse of judgement" to get an elderly lady to an appointment on time.

The council often issues warnings instead of bans. Minutes frequently state that "members were therefore satisfied that on this occasion a licence could be renewed but noted that should a further appearance before committee occur, they would not be as lenient."

This soft approach directly contrasts with Bristol's official goal to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries, which affected 142 people last year. Similar enforcement issues were mirrored in nearby South Gloucestershire in 2024, where one driver picked up 1,000 passengers despite being suspended.

The committee does revoke licences for extreme offences. Licences were stripped from a driver who sexually assaulted a passenger, and another, "KW," who drove into a university student, knocked him over, and fled the scene.

A third driver, "MH," lost his licence after making explicit, inappropriate sexual comments to a lone female passenger, despite later claiming at his hearing that he was a "happily married man with seven children" who "would not risk his livelihood in this way."

Defending the committee’s decisions, Councillor Sarah Classick, chair of the public safety and protection committee, explained that councillors strictly follow national guidelines.

"The council’s licensing policy strictly follows the government’s statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards," she said, adding that these rules guide members on when to suspend or revoke licences based on the evidence presented.


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