Dozens of taxi drivers lose licences after past crimes and misconduct discovered

Bucks council revoked 40 cab driving licences in the past year for a range of offences from historic sexual assault to drug crimes.

One or two also had licences suspended for serious physical/mental health problems, and/or not declaring these – while others after a litany of complaints against them were uncovered.

Buckinghamshire Council has published its annual review of taxis and minicabs from October 2024 to September 2025.

The number of licences in force remained largely stable, with 3,460 licensed drivers recorded at the end of September, a small increase.

Vehicle numbers fell slightly to 2,466. There was an increase in hackney carriages but a decrease in private hire (minicabs).

Meanwhile, wheelchair accessible vehicles increased to 322, up from 277 the year before. These now account for 12 per cent of all licensed vehicles in Buckinghamshire.

There has been a decreased number of licensed vehicles since May - which ‘appears to directly relate to the number of licensed drivers that have been revoked.’

Driver licences being revoked means the council decided the person is no longer ‘fit and proper’ to work as a licensed taxi or minicab driver.

Cab drivers were found to have engaged in:

• Drink driving
• Possession of drugs / guilty of drug-related offences
• Violence offences
• A historic arrest for sexual assault
• Multiple driving offences, including using mobile phones while driving
• Inappropriate conduct.

Licences were also revoked from people with undeclared medical problems, someone with significant medical and mental health concerns, and someone with a false medical certificate.

Further revocations were handed to someone with an ‘extensive’ number of conduct complaints against them in another authority area; and another driver with a ’pattern of allegations of violence’.

The number of driver revocations rose to 40 during the year - around 1.2 per cent of all licensed drivers.

In addition, 50 vehicle licences were revoked. A licensed vehicle must meet strict safety and roadworthiness standards, and if it doesn’t, the licence can be revoked even if the driver is fine.

Roughly half of these were because of ‘extensive’ accident damage to the car.

Meanwhile, 47 applications for licences were refused, mostly from new applicants.

A total of 469 complaints were received about drivers, with behaviour-related issues making up the largest share. Driving standards and parking concerns also featured heavily.

Complaints come mainly from passengers, with some from residents, other road users, schools, police, and other drivers. Officers carried out 322 investigations in response.

Enforcement activity formed a major part of the council’s work, Bucks council reported. Sanctions ranged from written warnings to revocations, depending on the seriousness of the behaviour and the licence holder’s history.

In addition, in the past year, the council successfully defended all five appeals against its decisions to refuse, revoke or suspend licences.

One driver withdrew their appeal on the day of hearing, and the court awarded Bucks council £9,000 in costs.

Another appellant, who faced revocation of their driver licence for multiple complaints over ‘unacceptable’ behaviour, withdrew their appeal against the decision – and the court awarded the council costs of nearly £2,700.