A joint taxi enforcement operation was carried out on 28 November by Walsall Council, City of Wolverhampton Council and West Midlands Police traffic officers, as part of ongoing work to maintain high safety and licensing standards across the region.
During the operation in Walsall, officers inspected 16 vehicles in the town centre between 8pm and 1am. This forms part of routine compliance checks carried out across the borough.
The majority of vehicles inspected were found to be compliant, with eight passing all checks without issue. Where problems were identified, officers took proportionate and immediate action to protect public safety.
One vehicle was suspended for a bald tyre, with the suspension lifted later that evening after it was replaced and penalty points issued. A second was suspended for missing identification and safety equipment, with the suspension lifted once these were provided.
Another vehicle was suspended for illegal “ghost plates” and required to return with legal plates and other issues resolved. Police also issued penalty points to two drivers for illegal window tints. In a small number of other cases, missing safety equipment was identified and rectified without suspension.
Councillor Adam Hicken, Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Safe Communities, said, “Passenger safety is our absolute priority. Operations like this are about making sure licensed vehicles meet the standards people expect when they get into a taxi in Walsall.
“Residents across Walsall get rightly fed up with dangerous vehicles being used on our roads and our teams work around the clock with the police and other agencies to conduct checks.
“Taxis are no exception. It’s encouraging to see that most vehicles were compliant, but where issues are found we will always take action. We’ll continue working closely with neighbouring councils and the police to keep standards high and protect the public.”
A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said, “We take our licensing responsibilities seriously and our officers work proactively across the country, wherever our drivers work, carrying out regular operations with partners to protect the public and ensure they travel in safety.
“We will continue to support Walsall Council to carry out further compliance operations such as this to make sure vehicles meet the requirements to carry members of the public. This includes cracking down on taxis using ‘ghost plates’ which are illegal.”
Joint operations such as this help ensure passenger safety, support responsible drivers and operators, and maintain public confidence in licensed taxi services across Walsall and the wider region.