An Uber driver has sent DM News a photo showing a Volkswagen people carrier with a slashed tyre, parked on a side street close to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
The vehicle, which is Knowsley-licensed private hire, appears to have been deliberately targeted while left overnight in a residential area. The damage adds to growing concerns among drivers and local residents about ongoing vandalism in streets surrounding the airport.
Over the past year, multiple reports have circulated of cars being damaged after being left in nearby side streets, with incidents including tyres slashed and windows smashed. These streets are often used by holidaymakers who leave their vehicles there to avoid airport parking charges or the cost of taxis and private hire transfers, as the airport is within walking distance.
This latest incident highlights that private hire vehicles are now also being affected, not just private cars belonging to travellers. We don’t know if the private hire vehicle left is a car for days while on holiday or parked up waiting for a job, and he ran to the shops. All we got is the picture with the tyres slashed.
DM News Commentary
This is a worrying trend and one we’re hearing about more frequently from drivers working around Liverpool Airport.
While airport-adjacent residential streets have long been used by holidaymakers trying to save money, the rise in vandalism suggests growing frustration from local residents or opportunistic criminal damage — or possibly both.
What’s particularly concerning here is that a licensed private hire vehicle has been targeted. Drivers often park near the airport between jobs, during breaks, or while waiting for return bookings. Damage like this can instantly take a vehicle off the road, costing drivers money, time, and insurance headaches.
It also raises questions about safety, policing, and whether clearer parking enforcement or designated short-stay waiting areas could reduce tensions. Until then, drivers and members of the public alike may want to think twice before leaving vehicles unattended in these streets.
If you’re a driver working airport jobs, this incident is another reminder to be cautious about where you park, especially overnight.
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