Bolton councillors have refused a private hire driver's licence after a conviction for a 'major traffic offence', ruling the applicant is not 'a fit and proper person'. The decision was made at a licensing panel hearing on June 9, 2026.
Details of the Refused Licence
The driver, who was not present at the hearing, had applied for a private hire licence. The council's licensing team made multiple attempts to contact the applicant but failed. According to the panel minutes, the committee considered a conviction from July 2025 for failing to give information as to the identity of the driver, resulting in a fine of £660 and six penalty points.
The report stated: “Under the council’s statement of fitness and suitability, this is classed as a major traffic offence and a conviction date of less than three years would generally mean that an application would be refused.” The applicant also failed to declare the conviction as required by licence conditions. The panel voted to refuse the licence.
Second Driver Suspended
In a separate hearing, another Bolton private hire driver was suspended after alleged misconduct. The committee noted a conviction from January 2026 for using a mobile phone while driving, resulting in a fine of £200 and six points. Additional information from PC Ben Brookfield, read at the meeting, stated the driver was holding the phone with both hands and appeared to be texting.
The driver also breached licence conditions by failing to declare the conviction on time. The licence was suspended until its expiry on July 22, 2026.
