NPHTA: WORKING FOR YOU
DEVOLUTION AND EMPOWERMENT CONSULTATION RESPONSE
Article by Dave Lawrie, Director NPHTA
dave@nphta.co.uk
Who are we?
The National Private Hire and Taxi Association (NPHTA) has been established for almost 40 years. We represent the taxi and private hire sector across the UK, including: l Individual taxi and private hire drivers l Private hire operators and their drivers l Local associations as affiliate members
Our combined membership exceeds 60,000, giving us a strong and representative voice within the sector.
We have actively contributed to policy development, including participation in the Task and Finish Working Group. Our former Director, Donna Short, was a member of this group. We have also provided both written and oral evidence to the Transport Select Committee, most recently through David Lawrie, appointed Director in 2019.
In addition, we are active members of the Institute of Licensing, ensuring continued engagement in licensing policy and practice.
Why ARE WE responding?
We have closely monitored the proposed changes with interest, particularly: l The rapid expansion of out-of-area working l The widening gap in licensing standards across authorities
l The resulting inconsistency in conditions nationwide
We recognise and support the intention behind introducing national standards and devolved powers, particularly where this aims to improve transparency and consistency. However, we are concerned that key issues are not being adequately addressed.
What is on the table? National Standards
There is a suggestion that national standards will eliminate licence shopping and cross-border working. This is incorrect.
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Licence shopping is driven primarily by: l Processing times l Licensing costs
Unless national standards also address local authority approaches to these factors, the issue will persist.
Vehicle accessibility - WAVs We
strongly caution against mandating 100%
wheelchair-accessible fleets outside major urban or tourism areas. A mixed fleet approach is more practical and proportionate, reflecting actual demand and the prohibitive cost of such vehicles.
CCTV
CCTV has been widely supported, including by Lillian Greenwood MP. Concerns around data security are already addressed by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
However, we emphasise: l Dashcams must not be used to capture internal audio or intrusive images
l Avoidance of remote access systems due to cybersecurity risks and ongoing subscription costs
If CCTV is mandated, it should be publicly funded, as this is a matter of public safety, not subsidising independent businesses, it should not be an additional financial burden on drivers.
Vehicle age
Policy should focus on: l Safety features l Emissions standards rather than arbitrary age limits. Forced early replacement creates unnecessary financial pressure without any clear safety or environmental benefits.
Licensing efficiency and costs
Uniform standards alone will not resolve disparities. For example: l TfGM: 6 months processing, £600 cost lWolverhampton: 2 weeks processing, £190 cost
This disparity is the root cause of licence shopping. Without addressing efficiency and cost, national standards will fail in their stated aim.
APRIL 2026 PHTM
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