Wolverhampton Council “aims to cut taxi licence applications amid ‘sex abuse fears’”

The City of Wolverhampton Council is reducing the number of private hire drivers it licenses due to recent sex abuse cases involving licensed taxis. The number of licensed drivers surged from around 1,200 ten years ago to over 45,000 following deregulation. 

The council aims to limit applications to prevent reputational damage. A report highlighted that an increase in licensees raises the likelihood of serious issues, referencing child sex exploitation scandals in Rotherham and Telford involving taxi drivers. To deter applications, the council now requires drivers to attend Wolverhampton in person. 

The Deregulation Act 2015 allowed taxi operators to subcontract bookings to firms licensed by other authorities, leading to a boom in applications due to Wolverhampton’s efficient digital system. The council uses funds from licensing fees to maintain high safeguarding standards, including daily DBS certificate checks, facial recognition software, and extensive safety checks nationwide.

John Roseblade, director of resident services, told the committee:

“There are pieces of work to try to throttle back the number of applications we are receiving. “One of which is that there used to be a requirement we would visit drivers, now we require drivers to attend Wolverhampton, which is designed to discourage people.”