ALL THINGS LICENSING
Article by Mike Smith, Senior Specialist for Licensing and Community Safety at Guildford Borough Council and Vice-Chair of the Institute of Licensing South East Region.
Please note that this article represents my own views which are not presented as the views of the Institute of Licensing or Guildford BC.
The summer holidays are here… time for a well-earned rest…?
As we head into the summer holidays, on the back of the Lionesses roaring in a somewhat nail-biting manner into both the semi-final and final of the Women’s Euros, and then winning it in an equally nail- biting penalty shoot-out; as well as on the back of the third heatwave this year, it is not only the traditional summer mix of football frenzy and the weather which are hotting up.
Just in time for the summer holidays there have been recent significant developments affecting the industry further due to the report on Child Sexual Exploitation failings, as I talked about in July’s PHTM.
Following this report, the government has reacted and promised to update legislation and hot off the press a new Parliamentary inquiry into the current licensing system, and a consultation on Automated Passenger Services, or self driving vehicles transporting customers to put the term into clarity.
Clearly, any member of the trade or licensing authority wishing to respond to these consultations will either need to put holiday plans on hold or take their laptop with them to the pool!
However, despite the timing of these announcements (well at least it wasn’t Christmas) there is perhaps the sense that after 49 years of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (or 178 years in the case of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847) that finally, there may be much needed change on the horizon.
New inquiry into licensing & standards in taxi & PH vehicles sectors
Following the publication of the Casey Report which I previously discussed in July’s edition, the Government has announced a new inquiry by the Transport Committee will investigate how standards for taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) could be improved,
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amid concern about inadequate regulation that varies from one area of the country to another.
The cross-party Committee will also examine how standards across the sector could be improved and made more consistent across the country with regards to accessibility, safety and safeguarding of passengers.
The inquiry will look at how best practice could be replicated, the effectiveness of enforcement and inspection regimes, and how standards vary – and could be standardised – between taxis, PHVs and ride- hailing services such as Uber and Bolt.
MPs will also look to the future at how the sector and its regulatory system might need to evolve to enable the use of self-driving vehicles.
The inquiry comes after the Committee published its report on accessible transport, which heard evidence of too few wheelchair-accessible PHVs and taxis being in circulation around the country, and even of drivers turning away blind people with assistance dogs.
The Transport Committee now accepts written evidence submissions from those with knowledge of the sector. This means that any member of the trade, driver, proprietor, operator, representative etc. and those which use and regulate the service are able to respond.
Submissions should be made via the Committee’s website, by 11.59pm on 8 September 2025.
The Committee is asking for evidence on the following questions:
1. Do current licensing arrangements and tools enable local authorities to effectively regulate and oversee the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) sector across England, in terms of safety, accessibility and quality of service? If not, what improvements could be made?
2. What is the impact on the travelling public and drivers of variation between licensing authorities? Is reform needed to bring greater standardisation?
3. What would be the practical implications for licensing authorities and operators of more stringent or standardised licensing conditions in respect of safety, accessibility, vehicles and driver conduct?
4. What steps should the Government take to address the challenges posed by cross-border licensing in the taxi and PHV sector?
AUGUST 2025 PHTM
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