TRANSPORT COMMITTEE INQUIRY
MPs EXAMINE TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE REGULATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS
The House of Commons Transport Committee began its inquiry into the licensing and regulation of the taxi and PHV sector with an evidence session on Wednesday, October 15. The inquiry will question licensing authority officials and industry stakeholders over three sessions.
The core focus of the inquiry is the inconsistency in the current system, which sees regulations “vary between different licensing authorities across England.” Concerns have been raised that this inconsistency allows local drivers to circumvent stricter local standards by “applying for a licence in another area which may have less strict standards” i.e. “cross-border working.”
MPs will question whether the current licensing framework provides local authorities with the necessary tools for effective regulation. Other areas of focus will include enforcement and the “growing role of digital ride-hailing platforms.”
The first session addressed the working conditions of drivers, examining their “security and employment rights.”
Witnesses at the inquiry included: From 09:15: • NPHTA Director, David Lawrie • Eamon O’Hearn (GMB) • Paul Jones (Unite) • Andy Mahoney MBE (LPHCA) From 10:30: • Helen Chapman (TfL)
• David Pattison (City of Wolverhampton Council)
• Lee Petrak (Blackpool Council)
The agenda for the Transport Committee’s first panel session explored the experience
of
drivers focusing on: • working conditions • wellbeing • safeguarding
• impact of the current licensing framework on the workforce
58
Dave Lawrie & Sham Raja NPHTA
Members heard evidence on: 1. Fitness of the legislative framework:
• whether the 1847 and 1976 Acts, which still underpin taxi and PH regulation, remain fit for purpose in today’s app-based industry
2.Workforce conditions:
• long hours, insecure income and pressure from platform-based models
• The Committee may refer to the 2024 National Taxi and PH Driver Survey, which found widespread concern about mental health across the sector.
3. Employment protections:
• how far the 2021 Supreme Court ruling on Uber has improved driver rights and what gaps remain
4. Safeguarding & driver safety:
• preventing abuse, ensuring consistent reporting and support mechanisms, and the respective roles of operators, licensing authorities, and the police
5. CCTV and complaints:
• whether in-vehicle CCTV should be mandatory nationally, and how well complaints systems function when drivers operate across multiple areas
6. Ride-hailing and fairnes:
• how the regulatory framework accommodates both traditional and app-based operators, including issues around e-hailing and competitive balance
7. Licensing variation and cross border working:
• the effect of differing local standards on drivers’ livelihoods and public confidence, and potential reforms such as national minimum standards or geo-fencing
8. Future reform:
• views on the continued suitability of the “triple-lock” rule (vehicle, driver, and operator licensed by the same authority) and what a modernised framework might look like if designed from scratch today
October 15 was the first session held by the Transport Committee. There are two further sessions scheduled, with its report expected early next year.
Click to watch full committee meeting:
https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/40f4c5 a4-4d91-412e-9b6c-4eaa2792d8a2
NOVEMBER 2025 PHTM
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