Taxi Complaints

If you have any comments about a taxi driver, vehicle or operator – good or bad – we would be happy to receive them.

For complaints, in the first instance please contact the taxi operator or driver directly with your complaint. If you are not satisfied with their response then please contact us using the details below.

Please include details of the response you received. We cannot deal with anonymous complaints, so please provide your contact information. This also enables us to contact you if we need any more details to investigate your complaint.

We will not disclose your details to the driver or company, but if it is in relation to a booking we may need to confirm the pick-up point in order to identify the correct booking. In cases where we identify criminal offences or serious breaches of licence conditions, we may require you to complete a witness statement and/or appear in front of a Court or Licensing Panel to give evidence. An officer will discuss this with you in more detail if necessary.

For details on how we use data relating to complainants and those making representations against a licence application, please see our privacy notice for complainants and objectors here

1. Brief Summary of complaint

2. Place and Time where journey / incident commenced

3. Place and Time where journey ended

4. Details of any delays during hiring

5. Name of Taxi / Private Hire company

6. Vehicle registration or plate number

7. Drivers badge number and name

8. Fare charged

9. Receipt

Do you have a receipt or proof of payment

10. Fare quoted before journey commenced

11. Was the meter used

12. Number of passengers

13. Are you prepared to make and official statement for legal procedures

Name*

First NameLast Name

Email*

example@example.com

Contact Phone Number

Address

House Name/Number

Street Address

Town

Post Code

What happens next:

In cases of misconduct the complainant may be required to make a witness statement and will be advised that formal disciplinary action may depend on them supporting their statement in person at a disciplinary hearing.

If there are two conflicting accounts of an incident and no independent witnesses then our powers are limited. In such cases, the driver may only be given words of advice on the standard of driving and behaviour expected from licensed drivers.

A record of the complaint will be retained on the driver’s record and the matter will again be considered if similar complaints are received in the future that suggest that there is a pattern to the licence holder’s behaviour. A number of minor complaints in a short space of time or a similar incident occurring could lead to disciplinary action being taken.

If it is alleged that criminal offences under taxi or private hire legislation have been committed, the council will investigate the offence. A statement will usually be taken from the complainant and other relevant evidence gathered prior to the licence holder being interviewed under caution. If there is sufficient evidence to instigate legal proceeding, the complainant may be called as a witness to give evidence in court in support of the council’s case.

If the council cannot enforce the offence, the complainant as detailed above will be advised to refer the matter to the police or the relevant enforcement agency. In such cases disciplinary action will usually be postponed until the police have completed their investigation and closed the incident. This may mean waiting to see if the licence holder is convicted of the offence but, if the matter is of such a serious nature that it requires the council to take interim steps, the licence may be suspended pending the completion of the police investigation.