TRANSPORT COMMITTEE REPORT
many people, enabling essential journeys to work, school, and medical appointments. They
are
particularly important for those who may have limited access to alternative forms of public transport, including disabled passengers, older people, and those living in rural areas. For many of these users, taxis and PHVs are a vital means of maintaining independence, accessing employment, and reaching key services such as healthcare.
The Committee has brought forward its recommendations at a pivotal time. As announced in the King’s Speech on 13th May 2026, the Government will publish a draft Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. These reforms are intended to
strengthen safeguards, improve
consistency across the licensing framework, and enhance accessibility. They will also support the Government’s wider commitment to addressing the recommendations from the Baroness Casey Review, particularly Recommendation 11, which called for reforms which address inconsistent licensing standards and to requirements.
strengthen safeguarding
The Government looks forward to working closely with the Committee throughout this process to ensure that the legislation developed is robust and addresses the challenges currently facing the sector.
First Special Report
The Transport Committee published its First Report of Session 2026–27, Raising the standard: licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles, (HC 80), on 10 June 2026. The Government Response was received on 14 September 2026 and is appended below.
Appendix 1: Government response
Introduction and summary The Government welcomes the Transport Select Committee’s report, “Raising the standard: licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles”, published on 10th June 2026 following its inquiry into the licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles [PHVs]. The Government is grateful to the Committee and to all those who contributed evidence for their engagement with this important issue.
Taxis and PHVs play a crucial role in the daily lives of 58
Having carefully considered the Committee’s report and the evidence presented, the Government’s response to its recommendations is set out below.
Recommendation 1
We urge the government to use the Law Commission’s 2014 draft bill and the report of the Task and Finish group as its starting points, updating them where necessary to reflect and incorporate app based operators.
A new framework should maintain clear distinctions between taxis and private hire vehicles, while placing both within a single consolidated statutory framework.
Government Response
The Law Commission’s 2014 draft Bill provides a strong foundation for reform and that there should continue to be a clear distinction between taxis and PHVs. This is something the Government plans to retain in its draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny.
The Government also recognises the contribution of NOVEMBER 2026 PHTM
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