New Broadland Council documents reveal that the authority used several methods of covert investigation last year under laws handed to public bodies to monitor individuals.

One of the council’s operations saw it coordinate with Norwich City Council to see whether private hire drivers were picking up passengers without a booking.

It is a criminal offence for private hire vehicles, which operate under different laws to taxis, to be hailed on the street.

Officers approached 11 vehicles over a five hour period (Image: Neil Perry)

This led to Operation Night Owl, a covert activity carried out by Broadland and Norwich City Council to see if drivers were carrying out the illegal practice, known as “plying for hire”.

Between 10pm and 3am on Friday, November 7, council officers, who did not reveal their identities, approached vehicles to see if they were complying with licensing rules.

Over this five hour period, 11 vehicles were approached by........

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