A stark warning has been issued to taxi users across Dudley borough to ensure they pre-book private hire vehicles.

Taxi users are reminded it is illegal for a private hire vehicle to carry passengers if the journey has not been pre-booked.

If it is not pre-booked it will mean the vehicle is not insured.

Sedgley-based Beacon Taxis is leading the way by running a leaflet campaign to make customers aware of the need to pre-book vehicles.

Any driver of a private hire vehicle caught taking customers without a booking could end up before the courts.

On conviction they could receive fines for plying for hire and driving without insurance plus up to eight penalty points.

All these drivers would then be required to appear before Dudley Council’s taxis committee for a review of their licences, which could result in suspension or revocation.

Councillor Doreen Ameson, chair of Dudley Council's taxis committee, said: “I welcome Beacon Taxis stance on this issue and hope other firms across the borough will follow suit.

"It is important we get the message across to the public that private hire vehicles are not hackney carriages and you must pre-book them.”