Taxi Driver Online

Derbyshire MP lifts lid on 'serious taxi licensing loophole'


Taxi drivers who have their licence revoked in one area could get one in another without anyone knowing about their previous misdemeanors, a Derby MP has warned the Commons.

Mid-Derbyshire's Pauline Latham said there was a "very serious" loophole in the taxi licensing process.

The current system forces applicants to disclose if they have had a licence refused or revoked but there is no way of telling if the applicant is telling the truth.

Taxi drivers are thoroughly checked for a criminal record but issues that wouldn't show up on police records may not be known about.

Mrs Latham said the loophole had meant that a driver who has had a licence revoked by the council in one area for asking out young girls who used his taxi was successful in getting a new licence from a neighbouring authority.

She asked for a statement by the Department for Transport on the "possibility of a register of taxi drivers" so councils can check applicants to see if they have had a licence refused or revoked by another authority.


In his reply, Chris Grayling MP, leader of the House of Commons, agreed it was a "very real problem" that had been identified and said he would make sure the Secretary of State for Transport was fully briefed on the issue.

Mrs Latham said: "The majority of taxi drivers would be truthful but there would be some that slip the net and there's no way of checking.

"This loophole is potentially very serious as is shown in the case of a driver who had his licence revoked being able to get another one because there is no mechanism to check the record of a driver.

"I am grateful for the vigilance of Councillor Jane Orton, from Amber Valley Borough Council, in identifying the problem and bringing it to my attention.

"I hope the Department of Transport will look seriously and report back to the House of Commons on the possibility of creating a national register of taxi drivers so authorities can be sure the applicants are telling the truth about their history."

Mrs Orton said the incident where a taxi driver had been asking out young girls was not in Derbyshire.

She said she had been told about it by a councillor from another part of the country.


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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

My guess is they've gone over to either Gedling or Bolsover.

No mention of new license being revoked or of any action taken in regard to false information being on application form(criminal offence).

It would appear that this story does not carry all of the facts.

we have 9 working here who have had their licenses revoked previously in Peterborough our council knew about the previous revocations BUT insisted they couldn't deny someone the right to work

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

In licensing,Fit and proper person criteria,the right to work must not come into consideration.

A revoked license means the person is not a fit and proper person to hold a license anywhere.

If I was licensed by Peterborough I would be challenging the issue of licenses to persons who had licenses revoked elsewhere.

It brings into question the lack of knowledge of those people making these decisions.

The Public of Peterborough could have 9 licensed drivers who are rapists,murders,sex offenders etc. driving them or their family around.

On your application form doesn't it ask if you've had a licence refused or revoked by another authority?

They were revoked in Peterborough and got licensed in South Kesteven

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Grandad,

Thanks for correcting that grandad,but the comments still stand in relation to the issue of licenses in South Kesteven.

Apologize to the good people of Peterborough.

It also happens on Health grounds, some LA's are more tolerant than others and their Driver Medicals a lot less demanding...it happens here.

Where's the shock at this loophole?

Its been there since 1976 at least.

A driver effs and jeffs at a passenger and has his license revoked, so he licenses himself somewhere else?

It aint a cab trade problem its a council problem.

40 years and they think about sorting it?

That's the major issue, LA's are f*cking incompetent.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Newbie councillor wanting to make a name for himself.................

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Yes but if they answer it honestly there is no way of finding out

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!