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Politics
Apr 23, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

Wolverhampton Grants Taxi Licences to Over 150 Violent Offenders, Raising Safety Concerns

AI Summary
More than 150 people convicted of violent crimes received taxi licences from Wolverhampton City Council in the 2023‑24 financial year, sparking criticism from transport officials and safety advocates. The data highlights the city’s outsized role in the UK’s private‑hire market and fuels calls for tighter national oversight.

Wolverhampton City Council issued licences to a staggering number of drivers with criminal histories, including over 158 violent offenders, prompting a national debate over passenger safety and the fragmented licensing system.

Wolverhampton’s Unprecedented Taxi Licensing Volume

Between April 2023 and March 2024 the council granted more than 42,000 driver licences – far outpacing the next biggest authorities, Birmingham and Bradford, which each issued just over 7,000. The council’s digital application process and rapid turnaround have made it the UK’s de‑facto “taxi capital”.

Numbers Behind the Controversy: 158 Violent Offenders and 438 Convicted Drivers

  • 158 licences to individuals convicted of violent offences.
  • 61 licences to drug‑offence convicts.
  • 36 licences to drink‑offence convicts.
  • 4 licences to sexual‑offence convicts.
  • Total of 438 licences issued to people with any criminal conviction.
  • 96% of licensed drivers lived outside Wolverhampton, enabling cross‑area work via apps like Uber and Bolt.

Safety and Oversight Implications for Passengers and Regulators

Critics, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, called the figures “truly shocking” and highlighted the lack of a unified national framework. The Department for Transport states that anyone convicted of a sexual offence should be barred, and violent offenders should wait ten years post‑sentence, yet enforcement rests with individual councils.

Wolverhampton’s chief executive Tim Johnson argues the council conducts full DBS checks and panels each application, but other authorities report similar convictions among licensed drivers, exposing a systemic gap.

Future of Private‑Hire Regulation: Possible Centralised Reform

Government ministers are reviewing proposals to reduce the number of licensing bodies and limit out‑of‑area operations. If adopted, a centralised licensing regime could standardise background‑check requirements, curtail the “taxi capital” advantage, and restore public confidence.