Police and council target illegal private hire drivers in Birmingham PRIVATE hire drivers are laughing at the law by picking up passengers who have not pre-booked, an undercover investigation has revealed.
Five drivers who agreed to carry trading standards officers who posed as customers could now have their council licenses torn up.
And three-quarters of other private hire cars checked as part of the same operation failed to meet licence or vehicle safety regulations.
Coun Bruce Lines, chairman of Birmingham City Council’s licensing committee, said: “The safety of people is our top priority.
“This year we have strengthened our policy towards drivers who illegally ply for hire. They now risk having their licences revoked.
“I hope this type of exercise will act as a warning to all private hire drivers to make sure they comply with the law.”
The joint council and West Midlands Police operation saw plain clothes officers approach private hire drivers without bookings.
All five who were tested agreed to carry the passengers.
Uniformed officers also stopped 36 private hire cars to check licences and for safety defects on cars.
A staggering 75 per cent of cars – 27 – did not comply with licence conditions or vehicle safety regulations.
The breaches ranged from failing to display proper signage to defects that were so serious that cars were taken off the road.
Det Con Sarah Little, of Birmingham West and Central Public Protection Safeguarding Unit, said: “If vehicles are not booked, passengers are not insured if there is an accident.
“Members of the public are advised to book their journeys and be safe.”
The aim of the operation was to highlight the risks of passengers using un-booked or unlicensed vehicles.
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