ROUND THE COUNCILS NORTH YORKSHIRE: WOLVERHAMPTON LICENCES CONCERNS
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) chiefs have raised alarms after it emerged that Wolverhampton Council has issued thousands of “out-of-town” taxi/PH driver licences, with claims drivers with “convictions and... unsafe vehicles” avoid more rigorous local checks. The issue was discussed at a NYC meeting on 12 November, where councillors were told of an increase in drivers living and working in North Yorks but obtaining licences elsewhere, especially Wolver- hampton. Concerns have also been raised in other areas including Manchester and Blackpool. Cllr Mark Crane outlined the alleged loophole: “Standards in some areas are lower than we have in North Yorkshire. So, if you’ve got convictions and you’re unlikely to get a licence from us, you can go to a different authority and seek to get a licence there.” Cllr Simon Myers added: “We have a statutory responsibility to our public to ensure that you are safe when you use a taxi. We can’t do that if people are licensed under different regimes.” Additionally, Cllr Barbara Brodigan noted that local taxi drivers’ livelihoods were being put at risk due to the higher costs of registering in North Yorkshire. However, Cllr Subash Sharma called for evidence, questioning the claims about Wolverhampton’s standards: “Do they allow paedophiles, criminals and ne’er-do-well people to become taxi drivers? The standards that we all have to adhere to are legally set as far as I’m aware. Nobody has told me how Wolverhampton is not adhering to those standards.” NYC ultimately agreed on a motion to urge the Government to change the law so that licences are only granted to people who live or work in the county. In response, a spokesperson for Wolverhampton Council “strongly refute[d] that our standards are lower than those of North Yorkshire Council,” telling the LDRS: “Safeguarding is our number one priority in taxi licensing and we
adhere to the highest
standards.” They highlighted their advanced systems, claiming they “lead the way nationally on using technology to help with safeguarding, including being the only council to do daily DBS checks on all drivers and the first council to offer licence checks by smartphone.” The authority also recently gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee, stating that current law requires urgent change.
PHTM DECEMBER 2025
BRACKNELL FOREST: PLEA OVER DECLINE OF TRADE
The hackney trade in Bracknell is “struggling to survive,” according to local drivers who are urging Bracknell Forest Council to take action to save the trade. Manoj Lacximicant, of the Bracknell Hackney Association, painted a bleak picture of the industry at the council’s Licensing and Safety Committee on October 23. He reported that the number of active hackney drivers in Bracknell has dropped from 80-87 pre-pandemic to just 42 today due to financial strain. “Hardly any new drivers are joining. The truth is, it’s no longer financially viable. If things don’t change soon, this local trade will vanish.” To ease the financial pressure, he requested the council make several adjustments, including: l Extending the age limit for HCs from 5 to 9years old. l Capping vehicle licence & renewal fees for one year. l Allowing a mixed fleet of WAVs and saloon cars. Mr. Lacximicant admitted he could not recall serving a wheelchair-user customer “in recent memory,” but Cllr Nick Allen strongly resisted the idea of introducing saloon cars, stating: “
...this is something West Berkshire Council is thinking about removing.” Mr. Lacximicant concluded with a strong appeal to the council to take action to protect drivers, restore fairness and ensure our community has a sustainable, competitive taxi service for the future.”
SWANSEA: CARD PAYMENTS FOR TAXIS AND PHVs
Swansea Council has ruled that all licensed HCs and PHVs in the city must install card payment machines, due to the increasing reliance on digital payments. The decision, made by the council’s general licensing committee, dictates that all newly licensed vehicles must carry card readers from December 2025. Existing licence holders must comply when their licences come up for renewal, meaning all licensed taxis and PHVs in Swansea are expected to offer card payment options alongside cash by the end of 2026. The change follows concerns that cash-only taxis risk leaving passengers “stranded” if they are not carrying notes or coins. A public consultation earlier this year found “overwhelming” support for the rule, with 82% of 417 respondents agreeing card machines should be mandatory.
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