Canterbury joint operation puts safeguarding at the heart of taxi licensing

A targeted evening operation in Canterbury has highlighted what multi-agency working on women’s safety can look like in practice — and how licensing enforcement can be a genuine community safety tool.

On 27 March 2026, officers from Canterbury’s Community Safety Unit and Canterbury City Council’s Licensing Enforcement Team carried out joint checks on taxi drivers across the city. The focus was safeguarding awareness — specifically around violence against women and girls — alongside vehicle safety and licensing compliance. Each of the 21 drivers engaged during the operation received a safeguarding information pack.

The checks also turned up immediate safety concerns: two drivers had licences suspended on the spot for bald tyres, two knives were recovered during a vehicle search, and a specialist drugs dog supported searches that led to two cannabis finds and one arrest. One man was found in possession of both cannabis and a knife and has been released on bail while enquiries continue.

Licensing Officer PC Daniell Rolfe noted that the vast majority of drivers provide a good service — but that understanding safeguarding responsibilities is non-negotiable. Cabinet member Cllr Connie Nolan echoed that, pointing to the particular trust placed in taxi drivers when transporting vulnerable people late at night.

It’s a useful example of how community safety, licensing, and policing can align around a shared concern — and how operational enforcement can carry an education and awareness function at the same time.

Source:

• Women and girls’ safety bolstered through taxi rank operation — Kent Police (1 April 2026)