It has been a deeply concerning week for taxi and private hire driver safety in the UK. Two separate sets of incidents — one in the West Midlands and one in Stoke-on-Trent — have put the spotlight firmly back on a problem that the trade has been raising for years: drivers are being targeted, and they need better protection.
Kingswinford Assault: Police Appeal for Help
West Midlands Police have launched a public appeal for information after a taxi driver was assaulted in Kingswinford in the early hours of Sunday 29 March. The attack took place on Dubarry Avenue at around 12:10am. Officers are seeking to identify two men they believe are connected to the incident, releasing images of the pair as part of their appeal.
The force confirmed the appeal publicly on 4 May 2026 and has urged anyone with information to get in touch via Live Chat on the West Midlands Police website, or by calling 101, quoting reference number 20/195422/26. Police have not released details about the extent of the driver’s injuries or the specific circumstances leading up to the attack, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Stoke-on-Trent: A Pattern of Incidents
Further north, the situation in Stoke-on-Trent has become serious enough to prompt formal intervention from both the city council and local councillors. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has confirmed it is working with Staffordshire Police following reports of a series of deliberate attacks on licensed taxis and private hire vehicles across the city.
One incident that particularly alarmed the trade involved a pellet gun. Firearms officers were scrambled to a supermarket car park on Tunstall High Street on the evening of Sunday 19 April, after a taxi driver reported a suspected pellet gun being fired at the rear passenger side window of his white Hyundai Ionic. The driver was left shaken but physically unhurt. Four men wearing hooded sweatshirts were seen in the area at the time. Staffordshire Police have appealed for witnesses.
That incident was not isolated. Reports of taxis and private hire vehicles having windows smashed have also been circulating, with a reader of StokeonTrentLive sharing an image of a taxi on Severn Street in Cobridge with its front passenger side window destroyed.
Councillors Push for Action
The cumulative effect of these incidents has prompted three city councillors — Faisal Hussain, Sadaqat Maqsoom, and Tabrase Din — to write formally to Stoke-on-Trent City Council calling for urgent action. Among the measures being requested is permission for drivers to remove livery stickers from their vehicles, to make their cars less identifiable as licensed taxis when they feel their safety is at risk.
In their letter, the councillors made clear that drivers need reassurance that their concerns are being taken seriously and that proactive steps are being considered. Councillor Maqsoom posted on Facebook: “Our drivers deserve to feel safe at work. We will keep pushing for action.”
The letter has been shared widely on the Stoke-on-Trent Private Hire Drivers Association’s Facebook page, reflecting the level of anxiety within the local driving community.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has acknowledged the situation, stating its licensing team is reviewing what further protective measures could be introduced. However, no specific steps have yet been announced, and no details on the total number of incidents or any arrests have been made public.
A Wider Problem
These incidents are not happening in isolation. Driver safety has been a growing concern across the taxi and private hire sector in the UK for some time, with licensing authorities and trade groups repeatedly highlighting the risks faced by drivers — particularly those working late-night shifts. The combination of lone working, carrying cash, and operating at hours when other services have wound down makes taxi and private hire drivers uniquely vulnerable.
Both cases deserve a swift and thorough response. Drivers keep communities moving — particularly at times when public transport is unavailable — and they should be able to do their job without fear of being attacked.
If you have any information regarding the Kingswinford assault, contact West Midlands Police on 101 quoting reference 20/195422/26. For the Tunstall pellet gun incident, contact Staffordshire Police on 101.
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Sources
- Taxi-Point — Police issue appeal after taxi driver assaulted in Kingswinford
- PHTM — Police looking for two men after taxi driver assault in Kingswinford, Dudley
- Yahoo News UK — ‘Serious concerns’ as Stoke-on-Trent taxi drivers come under attack
- Yahoo News UK — Taxi shooting on Stoke-on-Trent supermarket car park
- Taxi-Point — Stoke-on-Trent Council and police investigate spate of attacks on taxis and private hire vehicles
