Can I ask you to look at the backs of taxis in your area

[mumda]

Next time you go out and get stuck behind a private hire taxi could you look at the plate and see where it is registered.
Many of them in my area are registered out of area.
Why?

Why not? What issues is it causing?

Why though? People often don’t work where they live, and drivers may wish to work in more profitable areas. And as I said it’s very common for taxi drives to work in multiple areas, moving around to where there is demand at particular locations or times of day. It’s not a job that fixed to one place necessarily by its nature.

And do we know that the Wolverhampton rules aren’t safe? What issues have occurred as a result of cabbies registering in Wolverhampton?

I’ve been told by a Birmingham registered taxi driver it’s because the Wolverhampton test is easier.

Ive asked a couple of times what the actual issue is and no one has responded

If the argument is that for some reason the registration process in Wolverhampton is unsafe, illegal, then presumably the residents and businesses in Wolverhampton are up in arms about all the incidents that have occured due to poor procedures?

If the process in Wolverhampton is fit for purpose and legal, then what is the issue with people registering there?

As someone said, we have a national scheme for everything else.

That the licensing of taxis/PHVs in towns other than where they're operating was picked out as something that needs to change in the Louise Casey Grooming Gangs report, surely suggests that it is causing problems?

No doubt Wolverhampton think their licensing checks are robust, but the fact that so many drivers are going there to get their licenses points to the checks being different in some way to those made in other Councils. Do those differences make it less safe for us users of taxis/PHVs?

I live in SE London and I’ve definitely noticed a quite few registered in Wolverhampton!

Wonder why Wolverhampton give licences more easily to taxi drivers?

I avoid taxis where I can. Rarely enjoyable. If I book, I always book from our local rural service. Dislike using other companies in towns nearby as some of them have very poor English.

I suspect it's simply that (a) they can't refuse and (b) they do the bare minimum compared to other councils ?

Worth remembering (not that anyone will) that a lot of times when people are unhappy about how a particular local authority is acting, it turns out they are obliged to do it by law.

All the councils that lost money in Icelandic banks springs to mind. They were required to by government rules that forced them to get the best ROI. (And the Icelandic banks were approved by the Treasury).

All I will say is if Wolverhampton council is raking it in from taxi licenses, you wouldn't know it.

Talking to a friend last night and they've had a taxi recently that wasn't the person the app claimed would be driving. It was supposed to be a woman driver but was a bloke.

I went and found this link which is to the data registered for Wolverhampton Taxis. You can download data too, should you be a data fiend.
https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZTliY2Y1MDQtMjFkYi00NjY0LTgxZmYtNjU1MGJlM2I0MDc0IiwidCI6IjA3ZWJjNmMzLTcwNzQtNDM4Ny1hNjI1LWI5ZDkxOGJhNGE5NyIsImMiOjh9

One of the taxis we know about - that has caused concern because the bloke is a bit off, has a valid plate number but there is no driver registered with Wolverhampton. What's that all about?
It's made me feel even more uncomfortable with the idea of taxis now.

Personally, I'm not about clicking random links. Especially when they are so obviously going to a Microsoft owned site.

You mention "the app" but it's not clear - what is the "app" you are talking about ? I'm hardly Ubers greatest fan, but I can't see they'd send journeys to a driver once a passenger has complained. Given they can ban in real time.

What was the response of the "apps" providers once your friend reported the incident to them ? And presumably the police too ?

They've not reported it.they were going out and never got round to it. It's not that long ago so they might still report. But how do they prove who was in the car driving anyway?

The link is Microsoft data site that's linked in from the council website. I just didn't go back there to get the page link from the council site.

They've not reported it.they were going out and never got round to it.

Sounds like you thought it was more important than they did ?

It's not that long ago so they might still report.

For the sake of others safety, if they have any concerns, then I'd urge them to report it.

But how do they prove who was in the car driving anyway?

You have this the wrong way round ? How do the "app" providers demonstrate their vetting and recording procedures. Because either they can explain the driver switch, or they can't see it happened. If it's the latter then the incident should be escalated to the authority that issued the permit to the driver the app claimed did the run. They can then pick up the situation from their end and squeeze the "app" provider in the middle.

The link is Microsoft data site that's linked in from the council website.

And yet it still is news when councils get hacked ?

Here’s a take on the issue…
https://instituteoflicensing.org/network-news/government-pledges-reform-on-taxi-licensing-amid-safeguarding-concerns/

… and why it matters!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/17/scandal-taxi-drivers-circumventing-anti-grooming/

Btw, our council uses powerbi, too. It’s fine.

It really isn't. But that's for another thread.

Lots here (Liverpool) have Wolverhampton plates but one of the local drivers told me it's because Wolverhampton will issue plates the same day if you are there by a set time in the morning (with all the paperwork needed) whereas our local council (Sefton).were taking months to do renewals. The local private hire firm was paying someone to drive cars down daily to get plates.

So maybe the issue is rather than complaining about Wolverhampton - who have got the process sorted; why not direct the shit cannon at local authorities who are taking months ?

Couldn't live more south than I do & most are plates are from wolverhampton. I think its because it's cheaper & they don't do as many checks as my own local authority. I think they should force them to be registered where they actually operate as a taxi.

Is there a variation in checks being applied ? Bearing in mind it is a statutory process. Or are some authorities gold-plating the legal minimum ?