Officers from City of Wolverhampton Council have stopped and seized unlicensed vehicles being used for young people’s prom nights.

A Hummer and a limousine were seized during a joint operation between the council’s taxi compliance service, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and West Midlands Police.

During the spot checks, officers found that the Hummer’s driver was operating with two illegal front tyres and without the correct insurance and licences to drive for hire and reward.

The limousine, which had several mechanical faults, was suspected to be stolen and had no insurance. Further investigations are now being carried out by police and the council.

Along with the two seized vehicles, three further prom vehicles were found to have mechanical faults.

The drivers of the Hummer and the three other prom vehicles were issued with prohibition notices. In addition, a minibus driver was fined £400 for exceeding his permitted driving hours.

The operation took place earlier this month as part of a council campaign asking people to be vigilant when hiring luxury vehicles for prom nights. As part of the campaign, information was sent to local secondary schools to be distributed to parents of prom age children, with safety information included.

Officers warn that not all companies that advertise the services of stretched limousines and other luxury or performance vehicles are licensed or meet required safety standards.

Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said, “Passenger safety is the key reason operations like this are regularly taking place in the city.

“You cannot put a price on the safety of your child, and we want to ensure that parents can feel confident that the vehicle taking them to their well-deserved celebrations is fully insured and licensed.

“As prom nights continue to be popular, we are making parents and carers aware of the importance of checking companies to make sure they can be trusted.

“Unlicensed drivers or vehicles could put your child and their friends at risk. The driver may not have had a criminal record check, or the vehicle might not be roadworthy. Please take time to check who you are hiring.”

To find out if a vehicle is licensed, contact the local authority where the vehicle is based.

To report unlicensed drivers, vehicles and operators, please visit https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/licences/taxi-licences/taxi-complaints or call 01902 55 TAXI (01902 558294).