CROSS-BORDER: Wolverhampton private hire driver reported for covering car registration with licensing plate in Liverpool
Licensing officers in Liverpool took swift action after discovering a private hire vehicle (PHV) from Wolverhampton with a plate fully covering its registration number.
The enforcement team dealt with the issue on the spot, ensuring compliance with regulations.
This incident highlights ongoing out-of-area checks conducted on licensed private hire vehicles operating in cities across the UK. Under current rules, private hire drivers can obtain a licence from any council and still accept bookings nationwide, as long as they work through an operator licensed in the same area.
Wolverhampton has become a major hub for licensing due to its streamlined process, lower costs, and quicker turnaround times. This has led to a surge in drivers choosing Wolverhampton over local councils, even if they never intend to work there.
The system operates within legal frameworks, but critics argue it creates enforcement challenges and weakens local authority control over private hire standards. Some councils have raised concerns over safety, accountability, and the ability to manage vehicles operating on their streets but licensed elsewhere.
A Liverpool City Council Licensing spokesperson said: “Liverpool Licencing Enforcement Officers discovered this Wolverhampton PHV with its licence plate totally obscuring the vehicles registration mark.
“Enforcement action taken and issue resolved immediately.”
