AROUND eight out of ten people in Wales have little knowledge of what taxis and minicabs are legally allowed to do when they pick up passengers, according to a personal safety charity.

The majority of people in Wales could be at risk of using illegally operating or ‘fake’ vehicles because they have little knowledge of how taxis and private hire vehicles (minicabs) can legally operate, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

The poll reveals that just over eight out of ten people (82 per cent) in Wales say that they have little or no knowledge about what taxis and minicabs are legally allowed to do. Only 16 per cent of people feel knowledgeable about how taxis and minicabs can legally operate.

These statistics, which are published on National Personal Safety Day, raise personal safety concerns around illegally operating private hire vehicles.

If people are unaware of how taxis and minicabs can legally operate, they are unable to check vehicles are acting legally, and cannot make a safe and informed choice.

James Button, president of the Institute of Licensing, said: “Always check that the vehicle has a licence plate or sticker displayed identifying the vehicle as either a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle, and ask to see the driver’s badge.

"Any licensed driver should be happy to show a passenger his badge, and if they can’t or won’t, don’t get into the vehicle. It is better to wait a few minutes for another vehicle than get into an unlicensed vehicle.”