Summary
Cheltenham Festival racegoers asked to book their private hire vehicles ahead for convenience and safety.
Details
As Cheltenham’s renowned four-day racing festival kicks off Tuesday 10 March to Friday 13 March, the town is set to welcome thousands of racegoers.
Private hire transportation safety advice
Private hire drivers are reminded that they must only operate in Cheltenham for the purpose of fulfilling legitimate pre-bookings during this busy period. The councils’ licensing teams will conduct test purchasing operations throughout the festival period, with fines of £1,000 and potential licence revocation for any driver caught illegally plying for hire.
Licensed drivers undergo thorough checks to ensure they are fit and proper to transport passengers, and their vehicles are subject to MOT and insurance checks.
If anyone has concerns regarding a taxi or private hire vehicle, they should note the licence plate number, the council issuing the licence, and contact the licensing team .
Vehicles can operate in Cheltenham via the Uber app, but all journeys must be pre-booked via the Uber app. Please ensure that the vehicle has a licence plate on their vehicle and that the driver has a badge showing their licence number.
They should also be able to confirm your booking before getting into the vehicle to ensure that it is licensed. It is illegal for Uber drivers to pick up any journey that is not pre-booked and may result in penalties for the driver, so please do not encourage this.
What You Need to Know
Cheltenham Festival racegoers asked to book their private hire vehicles ahead for convenience and safety.
Private hire drivers are reminded that they must only operate in Cheltenham for the purpose of fulfilling legitimate pre-bookings during this busy period. The councils’ licensing teams will conduct test purchasing operations throughout the festival period, with fines of £1,000 and potential licence revocation for any driver caught illegally plying for hire.
If anyone has concerns regarding a taxi or private hire vehicle, they should note the licence plate number, the council issuing the licence, and contact the licensing team .
Vehicles can operate in Cheltenham via the Uber app, but all journeys must be pre-booked via the Uber app. Please ensure that the vehicle has a licence plate on their vehicle and that the driver has a badge showing their licence number.
They should also be able to confirm your booking before getting into the vehicle to ensure that it is licensed. It is illegal for Uber drivers to pick up any journey that is not pre-booked and may result in penalties for the driver, so please do not encourage this.
