Two private hire taxi drivers have been prosecuted after they pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to plying for hire and having no insurance.

They have each been told to pay £1,135, had their taxi licence suspended and had six penalty points added to their driving licence.

Plying for hire means the drivers picked up passengers who hadn’t pre-booked with their taxi operator. This means their insurance was invalid.

Both taxi drivers were licensed by another council but illegally picked up the fares in Telford and Wrekin. They were caught following an operation by the council’s enforcement team.

A Telford & Wrekin spokesperson said: “The case shows we are continuing to crack down on taxi drivers who break the law and put passengers at risk.”