Illegal Lift Prosecutions Prove Difficult, Minister Says

Efforts to prosecute Islanders offering paid lifts through social media remain challenging, the Home Affairs Minister has acknowledged.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat told the States Assembly that police regularly monitor and investigate suspected unlicensed drivers but that recent cases have failed to secure convictions. Establishing whether a journey is a genuine commercial service or simply friends sharing fuel costs has proved a key obstacle.

The minister also warned that passengers using unregulated lifts risk being uninsured in the event of an accident.

Concerns about unlicensed drivers have grown in recent years, with the Jersey Taxi Drivers Association repeatedly warning that the practice is widespread and potentially dangerous. The group estimates the trade could be worth up to £1 million annually.

In June 2024, a man who used the Jersey Lifts Facebook group to carry passengers was acquitted of running an illegal taxi service after a one-day trial.