More than 4,000 taxi drivers from outside Wolverhampton have been granted licences in a year, up from 60 licences granted to outsiders only five years ago, this represents an increase of over 6,800%. Drivers from across the country are coming to the city due to the fast online application process that takes 20 working days and costs only £69.
Wolverhampton Licenses Controversy
The West Midlands Drivers’ Association, which looks after 4,000 drivers, slammed the council as a joke and consider that customers across the Black Country are being put at risk because of poor standards. They also noted that some taxi drivers were exploiting a loophole in cross-border operating rules, allowing drivers to receive new licences in Wolverhampton despite having it revoked by other councils. The total of 4,168 private hire licences granted to drivers from outwith Wolverhampton contrasts with 927 private hire licences to drivers living in the city. Licensing has become a significant source of profits for Wolverhampton Council as they made £1.29 million in financial year 16/17. A Liberal Democrat campaigner accused the council of handing out licences like sweets.
Drivers from across the country are coming to the city due to the fast online application process that takes 20 working days and costs only £69.
Council Defends Licensing Approach
The Licensing Manager of Wolverhampton Council noted that they have made a large investment in a state-of-the-art online system which makes the council an attractive proposition for many drivers and that they won’t turn anyone away who meets the stringent standards. Some critics note that the council can instigate an “intended use” policy for the vehicles being licensed though it would not be in their interests to do so considering the amount of money made by licensing activity.
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