Women and girls' safety bolstered through taxi rank operation

Officers have taken part in a targeted operation involving taxi ranks to improve the safeguarding of women and girls in Canterbury.

On Friday 27 March 2026, officers from Canterbury’s Community Safety Unit and Canterbury City Council’s Licensing Enforcement Team carried out a joint operation with coordinated checks on taxi drivers, focusing on their safeguarding awareness for women and girls alongside vehicle safety and licensing compliance.

Throughout the evening, officers conducted both static and mobile stops, engaging with 21 taxi drivers in total. Each driver received a safeguarding information pack to strengthen their understanding of how to identify and report concerns linked to violence against women and girls.

During the checks, two taxi drivers had their licences suspended immediately by council licensing officers for bald tyres, with Kent Police issuing two Traffic Offence Reports for the same defects. During one vehicle search, officers recovered two small, serrated knives, which were seized.

PD Sully, a specialist drugs dog, supported the operation by searching vehicles and patrolling the Canterbury Lane and St George’s Lane taxi ranks. This led to nine drug searches involving members of the public. Two men were found to be in possession of cannabis, with one of the men being arrested after also being found in possession of a knife. He has been released on bail while enquiries continue.

Licensing Officer PC Daniell Rolfe said:

‘Whilst the vast majority of taxi drivers in the city provide a good service, it is essential that they fully understand their responsibilities and follow best practice in relation to the safeguarding of their customers. ‘Kent Police will continue to work closely with local partners on operations like this to improve safety measures and to ensure businesses are operating at the highest standards.’

Cabinet member for community safety and enforcement, Cllr Connie Nolan, said:

'Taxi drivers hold a significant position of trust within the community, often transporting vulnerable individuals and operating late at night when some people might be a little worse for wear.  ‘This operation was about ensuring our drivers meet all their legal, licensing and safety obligations. And on the whole, it is an industry that operates professionally and to a high standard within our district. ‘Where issues were found, our officers and police colleagues did not hesitate to take appropriate action to keep the public safe and make sure those high standards are maintained. ‘And we have had very positive feedback from the trade, who appreciated why we were doing this. The many drivers who provide such an excellent service to the public were pleased to see us tackling those who are falling short.’