According to a report by The Bolton News, a private hire driver has been refused a licence after councillors heard evidence that he harassed a female passenger following a journey. The decision was made by the licensing committee at Bolton Council, which concluded that the driver was not a fit and proper person to hold a private hire licence.
The article explains that the driver contacted the passenger after the journey had ended, sending unwanted and inappropriate messages, including personal questions. Councillors were told that this behaviour crossed professional boundaries and raised serious safeguarding concerns for passengers using taxis and private hire vehicles.
After reviewing the evidence, the committee decided the driver’s conduct posed a risk to public safety, leading to the refusal of his licence application.
DM Commentary
This case underlines something drivers across the taxi and private hire industry must never forget: passenger trust is everything.
Passengers often travel alone, late at night, or while vulnerable. The moment a driver uses personal details obtained through a booking for anything other than completing the journey, that trust is broken. Councils are absolutely right to treat this behaviour seriously.
From a driver’s perspective, this also sends a clear warning:
- Passenger contact details are not personal invitations
- Any post-trip contact outside the app or booking system is a major red flag
- Licensing panels will look at character and judgement, not just driving ability
For the wider industry, decisions like this help protect the reputation of professional drivers who do the job properly every day. One bad case damages confidence in taxis as a whole — and councils are increasingly showing they won’t tolerate it.
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