
A major multi-agency taxi/PHV compliance operation took place at East Midlands Airport on Thursday 24 September bringing together 19 licensing authorities alongside DVSA, DVLA, HMRC, Leicestershire Police, Uber UK, East Midlands Airport and insurance fraud specialists.
209 vehicles were stopped and inspected
35 vehicles found with defects or compliance issues
45 faults identified
Inspectors uncovered a range of safety and compliance concerns, including:
Defective tyres
Dangerous collision damage
Inoperative seatbelts
Missing wheel nuts
Defective lighting
Loose bodywork
Illegal “ghost” registration plates
Licensing and vehicle identification breaches
Driver badge and safety equipment issues
Several vehicles were prohibited from continuing to operate until defects had been fixed.
Vehicles checked were licensed by authorities as far away as Wrexham, Cardiff, Hull and Milton Keynes.
All vehicles and drivers licensed by North East Derbyshire District Council that were inspected during the operation were found to be fully compliant.

Ismail Ahmed, of no fixed abode, committed two robberies and five attempted robberies on May 9 and May 11 while on licence for previous robbery offences. 

The issue was raised during First Minister’s Questions on 22 September by Highlands and Islands MSP Morven-May MacCallum.

The price for using the rapid drop-off area has increased from £5 for 15 minutes to £8 for 10 minutes, and came into effect on 29 September.

A new security system being developed in Gran Canaria will allow taxi panic buttons to connect directly with Local Police control rooms, giving officers live access to images and sound from inside vehicles during an emer

For years, “Google it” has been part of everyday language. But I increasingly wonder whether we are entering the age of “ChatGPT it”. 

Uber has successfully secured a 24/7 PH operating licence for a booking office at Rosyth Business Park after Fife Council’s Regulation and Licensing Committee approved the bid on 22 September.

The council subsequently published a photograph of the offending cab to highlight the penalty and warn other motorists against the practice.

Hartlepool Borough Council licensing chiefs have voted to keep the town's hackney carriages fully yellow following a public consultation earlier this summer.

Councillors made the decision during a hearing held behind closed doors on September 16, concluding that the driver was no longer a fit and proper person to hold the driver's licence. 

As the driver was adding details into the taxi app, 18-year-old Brandon Moloney opened the door and punched him in the cheek, "causing an immediate stinging sensation".

David Richardson, 31, communicated with who he thought was a 14-year-old schoolboy, sending indecent images of himself and discussed picking the teenager up from school.

Derrick Lewis was caught driving pupils in a licensed private hire car during a council spot check at Ysgol Heol Goffa in February. He didn't turn up to court.

Taxi fares across Gwynedd are set to rise from October 1, 2026, after Cyngor Gwynedd's general licensing committee formally approved the changes on Monday, September 21.

Driver Charlie Matthews was carrying passenger Jake Sinclair on an early-morning private hire trip to Stobhill Hospital when he noticed Jake had slumped over in the back of his cab.

Dear PHTM - I am hoping someone could give me some advice on a matter with our local licensing authority.

Successful prosecution by Liverpool City Council following an incident in March involving a Wolverhampton licensed PHV driver.

Research reveals multi-faceted nature of modern driver’s role.

The Scottish Private Hire Association has achieved a significant victory for small-scale and independent operators in Glasgow.

Rural taxi and private hire drivers in the West of England are fighting to stay afloat as soaring fuel costs squeeze profit margins. 

A British passenger has been arrested in Seville after allegedly stabbing a local cabbie 16 times in a brutal knife assault, sparking fresh safety demands from the city's taxi trade.
