Lancaster City Council has suspended a taxi driver after joint licensing checks at Lancaster Railway Station, staged after local trade reports about out-of-area private hire vehicles working in the district.
The council said its licensing team worked with officers from Blackburn with Darwen Council last week. They inspected licensed vehicles arriving at and leaving the station, checking licences, vehicle details and compliance — and looking for evidence of illegal passenger pick-ups.
What officers found
Most vehicles were operating lawfully. There was no evidence of illegal pick-ups, the council said.
One driver was suspended for failing to display the required driver identification badge. Officers also found several minor issues with vehicle signage and licence-plate positioning, which were dealt with on the spot.
Councillor Paul Stubbins, the member responsible for licensing, said reports about out-of-area licensed vehicles are taken seriously. “These checks are about safeguarding passengers, ensuring licensing standards are being met, and ensure that drivers and operators who follow the rules are not placed at a disadvantage,” he said.
He said it was encouraging that the overwhelming majority of drivers were complying with the law, and that the team will keep working with neighbouring authorities on reports and compliance checks.
Why the trade raised it
Cross-border private hire working has been a live issue in Lancaster for some time. Under national rules, PHV drivers can work away from the authority that licensed them if the booking runs through an operator licensed in the same place as the driver and vehicle — which can leave the “host” council with less day-to-day control.
In February 2026, Lancaster granted Uber a local private hire operator licence so the firm and its locally licensed drivers fall under the council’s direct regulation (council news). The station operation is a different, more immediate response: visible checks where trade complaints have focused.
What passengers and drivers are told
The council is reminding passengers to use properly licensed taxis and private hire. Drivers should display their ID badge, and vehicles must show a valid licence plate.
Anyone with concerns can contact Lancaster’s Licensing Service at licensing@lancaster.gov.uk.