IN THE NEWS
WOLVERHAMPTON PH DRIVER LOSES LICENCE AND COURT BATTLE OVER ILLEGAL GHOST PLATES
A Midlands private hire driver has lost his legal fight to keep his licence after being caught using illegal “ghost plates” designed to hide his car from traffic cameras. Aqeel Shakeel’s appeal was dismissed at Dudley Magistrates’ Court following a council investigation that used “state-of- the-art technology” to prove his Audi A4 was equipped with the deceptive plates. Wolverhampton Council first discovered the 3D plates during an inspection last May. Using a specialist digital night vision camera, officers confirmed the plates were “retroreflective,” mean- ing they could block infra-red signatures and prevent ANPR
cameras from recording the registration. While Shakeel claimed he was “unaware they were ghost plates” and had bought the car with them already on, investigators found the car had previously failed an MOT because of the plates. The council suspected Shakeel had “removed the plates to pass the follow-up MOT and replaced them afterwards,” leading to his licence being revoked for dishonesty. The court’s decision to uphold the ban comes with a heavy financial penalty, as Shakeel was ordered to pay £1,923 in legal costs to the council.
Cllr Bhupinder Gakhal praised the result, stating the city is “investing
in specialist cameras to deter and detect ghost plates” and will always take “robust action when drivers fail to meet the high standards expected of them.” Cllr Zee Russell, chair of the regulatory committee, noted that “public safety is our top priority” and warned that modified plates “pose a serious risk by concealing vehicle identity.” The council has now “completely banned all 3D licence plates,” leaving drivers with “no excuse” for having them installed. Cllr Russell added: “We welcome government’s progress in legislat- ing against ghost plates and encourage all licensing authorities to ban them as soon as possible.”
GATWICK PH DRIVERS DEMAND NATIONAL CRACKDOWN ON ‘POSTCODE LOTTERY’ LICENSING
Gatwick’s private hire drivers are sounding the alarm over a “race to the bottom” in the industry, calling for the government to
scrap
inconsistent local rules in favour of a strict national standard. Long- term drivers and local officials argue that current laws allow a “licensing loophole” that endangers passengers and lets drivers operate far away from where they are actually registered. Michael Jones, leader of Crawley Borough Council, is set to challenge the government to end this “postcode lottery,” noting that local authorities are currently “powerless to act” against out-of- town drivers other than filing complaints. The push for reform
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follows a chilling review into grooming gangs that suggested current gaps in vetting put women and children at risk. Veteran driver Afran Raja, who has worked the area for 28 years, warned that the lack of regulation around cross-border hiring is “a big problem for customer safety,” citing concerns over human trafficking. Raja is calling for “legitimate background checks, a minimum of five years, and to ensure a good level of English.” The core of the frustration lies in deregulation from 2015, which driver Mark Barrett says collapsed standards and pricing. This has allowed app-based competitors like Uber to flood the market using
drivers licensed in distant cities - such as Wolverhampton - where rules may differ. Nick Venes of Unite the Union warned that when drivers can “circumvent the licensing legislation,” it opens the door for serious criminality like “county lines” drug trafficking. While Wolverhampton council claims it cannot legally refuse licenses to fit applicants or stop them from working else-where, the DfT insists passenger safety is the “top priority.” A government spokesperson confirmed they are legislating to introduce England- wide requirements and new suspension powers, promising that “passengers feel confident wherever they live, work or travel.”
APRIL 2026 PHTM
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