VEEZU GIVES EVIDENCE VEEZU GIVES EVIDENCE AT
THE TRANSPORT SELECT COMMITTEE
Article by Andrew Wescott Corporate & Government Affairs Director at Veezu
awescott@veezu.co.uk
It was an honour to be invited to give evidence to the Transport Select Committee on 19th November. This is an important enquiry, and it is good that the committee has taken evidence from a range of stakeholders – passenger groups, regulators, operators, drivers and licensing experts.
For the most part, substantive evidence was provided to the committee through these hearings, and it was promising to hear much alignment on key issues.
Somethings we all agree on
The need for national standards, enforcement across licensing authority borders and improvements to accessibility for disabled passengers were all universally agreed upon. This is an excellent starting point, and it was good to see the inclusion of an amendment by the Secretary of State for ‘National Minimum Standards’ in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
The inclusion of the word ‘minimum’ is not ideal. There were witnesses at the enquiry, including myself, who questioned whether ‘minimum standards’ sets the right tone and framework. If they are not set high enough, minimum standards could simply reinforce the current variances in licensing conditions and policies across the country. However, the fact we have an amendment on national standards is a positive step. Now it is up to the industry and other stakeholders to agree on what the standards should look like.
As many witnesses set out, there is precedent for joint enforcement operations across borders. While these are still rare, they can be done, and licensing authorities should explore how they can work in partnership with one another to undertake such activities. The question is ‘why wouldn’t you?’
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Additionally, any discussion around national standards must include powers for enforcement across licensing authority boundaries. There is little point in creating a set of agreed standards if they cannot be enforced.
The final area of agreement is the need to improve accessibility for disabled passengers. This is an industry-wide problem and one that requires collaboration to resolve. The legislation is clear on this issue; it is now time for action. There is no silver bullet, and a combination of the following is required:
l Zero tolerance of refusals by operators.
l Clear licensing action by licensing authorities if refusals are reported.
l Mandatory disability awareness for all licensing applicants and ongoing awareness training. Transport for All set this out clearly in their evidence. ‘Training should be designed and delivered by disabled people, cover all impairments, and include regular refreshers.’
l Incentives to support licensed drivers purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles.
l Government incentives to increase the range of affordable wheelchair accessible vehicle makes and models for purchase.
And some we don’t
Cross-border hiring continues to be the most contentious of all issues facing the committee as it undertakes its enquiry. Addressing the points above will remove some of the issues that concern some stakeholders around cross-border hiring.
We have been clear in both our written and oral evidence that simply banning cross-border hiring will not address safety concerns. In fact, it could have the opposite impact. Availability and supply of services are synonymous with safety, particularly in areas where private hire vehicles are the only mode of transport available.
DECEMBER 2025 PHTM
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