Unlicensed taxi crackdown in Bristol leads to court case and ‘Taxi Cop’ pursuit
A dedicated taxi enforcement officer in Bristol uncovered an unlicensed private hire vehicle operating illegally, with the driver now facing court action.
PC Patrick Quinton, known as the ‘Taxi Cop’ for Avon and Somerset Police, was focusing on unlicensed vehicles over the weekend. During his checks, he stopped a licensed private hire driver using an unlicensed vehicle to carry passengers in Central Bristol.
The driver is now set to appear in court for offences including no insurance, plying for hire, and operating an unlicensed vehicle. A report has also been sent to the relevant council for further action.
Separately, PC Quinton was also involved in a pursuit of a suspected unlicensed taxi in the Bedminster area. The chase was called off when the driver sped the wrong way down a one-way street at 40mph, making it too dangerous to continue. The vehicle was later found abandoned, and investigations are ongoing.
PC Quinton said in an update to drivers in the local area: “I was focussing on unlicensed vehicles again last weekend. This means my usual road checks were a lot fewer and you might not have seen me as much. I found an unlicensed vehicle being driven by a licensed PHD (Private Hire Driver) in Central Bristol with customers on board.
“The driver will be going to court for No Insurance, Plying for hire and using an unlicensed vehicle. I’ll be sending a report to the Council involved too.
“I also had a pursuit with a suspected unlicensed taxi in the Bedminster area. I had to call off the pursuit when the vehicle went the wrong way up a one way street at 40mph and it became too dangerous to continue. We found the car later on parked up and it’s an ongoing investigation for me.
Have a safe shift.”
