
Tewkesbury Borough Council is set to approve a new penalty point system for local taxi and private hire drivers next week, following an eight-week public consultation.
The Executive Committee will review the recommendation on September 2, and if approved, the revised policy will take effect on September 28. Neighbouring Gloucester and Cheltenham councils already operate similar schemes.
Under the new rules, drivers who commit minor offences or acts of non-compliance will receive penalty points on their licensing records instead of immediately facing lengthier disciplinary routes. Current council options for dealing with non-compliance are limited to verbal or written warnings, formal cautions, prosecution, or referral to the Licensing Sub-Committee.
Specific breaches will carry varying point values, such as three points for sounding a vehicle horn when picking up a fare, four points for refusing a fare without reasonable cause or failing to report an accident within 72 hours, and six points for smoking in a licensed vehicle or carrying too many passengers.
Accumulating a specific number of points within a set timeframe will trigger an automatic referral to the Licensing Sub-Committee to determine if the driver remains a "fit and proper person" to hold a licence.
Serious breaches and criminal offences will continue to be handled through separate, more severe measures.
Council reports emphasise that the scheme is designed to streamline enforcement while safeguarding both passengers and rule-abiding drivers.
The report stated: "It is hoped that the introduction of a penalty points scheme for hackney carriage and private hire licence holders would assist the council to identify those who are not fit and proper people to hold licences and ensure high standards amongst all licence holders."
Furthermore, officials noted that compliant drivers will see no negative impact on their day-to-day work. The report added: "It would also protect those licence holders that are compliant with requirements, from unfair competition from those who are not."

The vehicle, belonging to local firm Tacsi Zoe, was stolen from Holyhead on Monday evening, August 24.

The local licensing manager has deemed the proposed increase reasonable due to rising fuel costs and the length of time since the last fare review in 2022.

Neil McLennan, owner of iCars, was told by a licensing officer that the displays violated council advertising policies.

Gary Taylor, a 20-year-old veteran of the capital's taxi trade, received the penalty after dropping off the passenger at 10.30pm in the Brentford Lock area.

Robert Hooper, 51, targeted the 49-year-old cabbie on Queen Anne Street after spending the day begging on the streets.

Liam O’Leary, 46, (left) from Lincoln was jailed for 3 years and 4 months and Shane McHale, 23, also from Lincoln was jailed for 3 years and 2 months.

The incident happened at about 11.30pm on August 16 at the taxi rank on Court Square Brow, next to Carlisle Railway Station.

A Leeds private hire driver has been banned from the road for three years and stripped of his licence after nearly colliding with a police car while using a mobile phone at the wheel.

According to Department for Transport statistics from April 2026, this equates to a mere 0.6 vehicles for every 1,000 residents, placing the district among the areas most vulnerable to becoming a rural taxi desert.

The North Tyneside Hackney Carriage Association wants fares adjusted so that a typical three-mile journey would average £5.52.

Merseyside Police rushed to Rice Hey Road in Egremont at 4.10pm on Sunday, August 23, after receiving reports that a delivery worker in his 30s had suffered face and head injuries.

Paul Best, a 62-year-old chauffeur who runs Best Exec cars and works as a mayor's chauffeur, was driving for Fleetline in his taxi on Thursday morning, 20 August.

Stuart Halliday, 44, appeared at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on 20 August, facing charges including assault by beating against cabbie Azanuhr Rahman. The attack took place in Wychbold on 9 May 2025.

Wiltshire Police said the incident happened on July 31 when an unknown man took a taxi from Melksham to Trowbridge.

The players had been transported to the stadium as part of a pre-match travel trial, with the fleet of taxis booked to take them home after the fixture.

The incident took place at 11.30pm on June 27 when a cab picked up a customer at the station and drove them to Cornlands Road.

David McKinlay had to appear before Fife Council’s Regulation and Licensing Committee on Tuesday, August 18, when his application to work as a taxi driver was considered.

Councillors agreed unanimously to the proposed five per cent hike during a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday, August 19.

Chris Woodroofe, has defended the facility's parking charges, which contributed significantly to the Manchester Airports Group making £453 million from parking - about a third of its total income.

Allun Wright, who previously received a one-year licence and a warning in April last year, found himself back before the committee after DVLA checks revealed speeding offences in May and November.
