Cheltenham Festival is considered one of the biggest race events of the year, with thousands travelling to and from the world famous course.
Cheltenham Council have put together a stringent enforcement plan to crack down on illegal activities from taxi and private hire drivers who attempt to break the law during the busy few days.
Licensing officers will be working with officers from South Gloucestershire Council to inspect licensed vehicles and ensure that any unlawful activity is dealt with firmly.
In 2019, 12 drivers were prosecuted for illegally plying for hire during the festival.
The council will be running a safety campaign to highlight the fact that using an illegal taxi is no different from getting into a stranger's car.
Louis Krog, Licensing Team Leader, said: “Every year we see unlicensed vehicles and vehicles licensed elsewhere come to Cheltenham to work.
"No vehicle other than a Cheltenham licensed taxi can ply for hire. We want to be clear that officers will be out throughout the week and we will prosecute any driver found to be illegally plying their trade.
“We do this to keep visitors and residents safe. Unlicensed vehicles are not insured properly and the drivers would not have been checked. We would urge visitors to use Cheltenham licensed vehicles.”
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