Posted on the 24th September 2026 in PHTM News

UNLICENSED PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER WHO DROVE SEND CHILDREN TO LLANELLI SCHOOL FINED £2,700

An unlicensed private hire driver caught transporting children with additional learning needs to a special school has been ordered to pay more than £2,700 by the courts.

Derrick Lewis was convicted in his absence at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on 4 September after failing to attend the hearing.

He was caught on 9 February driving a licensed private hire vehicle on a school run in Llanelli without holding the mandatory dual hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence.

Carmarthenshire Council revealed that the illegal operation was uncovered during joint compliance checks by the council’s licensing and school transport teams at the school, where Mr Lewis was found driving a licensed car without the legal authorisation to do so.

Magistrates issued a £660 fine alongside £1,778.50 in prosecution costs and a £264 victim surcharge, giving him 28 days to pay the total sum of £2,702.50.

Highlighting the gravity of the incident, Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen, the council’s cabinet member with responsibility for enforcement, stressed that pupil safety remains critical. He stated: “Licensed drivers are required to meet strict standards and undergo the necessary checks to ensure they are suitable to transport members of the public, including children.”

He further emphasised the local authority's stance on unlawful operators, adding: “This prosecution demonstrates the council’s commitment to enforcing licensing legislation and taking appropriate action where individuals operate outside the law.

"We will continue to work with our partners to ensure school transport services remain safe, reliable and compliant.”


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