CROSS-BORDER CRISIS
CITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON COUNCIL CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF A “NATIONAL FREE FOR ALL”
A local councillor is calling for major changes to national taxi regulations, stating that Wolver- hampton council’s efficient licensing system is carrying the weight of failings across the rest of the country. Cllr Simon Bennett, leader of Wolverhampton’s Conservative opposition, claims the city is paying the price for a “national free for all” when it came to issuing taxi licences. In July the parliamentary transport committee (PTC) announced an investigation into how standards for taxis/PHVs could be improved, amid concern about inadequate regulation that varies from one area of the country to another. Cllr Bennett notes that 96% of licences issued in Wolverhampton
are for drivers who live outside the area as a result of the city’s stream- lined, fully digital licensing process. “That innovation showed how modern, transparent regulation could work – but the national framework it operates within is now unsustainable,” said Cllr Bennett. “Wolverhampton’s success in streamlining licensing has inadvertently exposed weaknesses in cross-border enforcement, allowing vehicles licensed in one area to operate almost anywhere with minimal oversight.” He added that the council”s ability to enforce conditions on licences elsewhere in the country is near impossible. Cllr Bennett also referenced Baroness Casey’s review into CSE, which highlighted “serious safe-
guarding failures,” including inconsistent data collection on suspects and patchy oversight of drivers in some areas. “Baroness Casey called for tougher, consistent standards for taxi licensing to protect vulnerable passengers, recommendations that mirror concerns long raised by Wolverhampton Conservatives,” he said. “Where the council has innovated, it has shown what can be achieved, but no single authority can carry the weight of a licensing system that has become a national free-for-all.” He urged the PTC to “deliver clear safety standards, proper enforce- ment powers and a framework that protects passengers and responsible drivers alike.”
Unique Taxi Telephone Number For London
020 TAXI TAXI
+44 1329 007 007 PHTM OCTOBER 2025
PhoneNumbers.Store Search for TAXI 15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74
