Article by Andrew Wescott Corporate and Government Affairs Director
www.veezu.co.uk
As the Transport Select Committee begins the process for oral evidence sessions on its inquiry into taxi and PHV licensing, there are many in the industry wondering if this is another false start on the road to updated legislation for the sector, with the inquiry ending with another report with recommendations that go nowhere. Alternatively, this inquiry could be the starting gun for genuine change. The fact that the inquiry is happening alongside Andy Burnham’s review of licensing in Greater Manchester suggests there is momentum for change.
There has been a clear politicisation of some of the issues in recent months. In particular, the issue of drivers obtaining licences from one area and then working in another. It is important to note that this is legal – as long as the licensing triple lock is in place – and is regulated. I will go into further detail on cross-border hiring below; however, the issue is poorly understood and has led to some ill-judged advice.
If this is the beginning of genuine change for the industry then the government must consider views from operators, drivers, passengers, regulators and all those that are intrinsic to the taxi and PHV industry. The end point of this process will be largely determined by the government’s appetite for change, where taxi and PHV licensing sits on its priority list and whether there is enough time for legislation to be fully enacted.
The Transport Select Committee inquiry provides us with an insight into where any possible legislation may go. It has been interesting to read the submissions and there are some clear themes emerging.
36
VEEZU: LICENSING REVIEW National Standards
The desire for national standards appears to be universally agreed upon throughout the industry (this is no small feat). Getting the industry to agree on something and show the willingness to make a change should not be underestimated and the government should take the opportunity presented to it. Clearly, the devil is in the detail when it comes to national standards. Should they be minimum standards that leave licensing authorities with room for interpretation? Much of the evidence submitted to the select committee critiqued the inconsistent policies across local authorities. This suggests that the industry wants some firmer and stricter national standards with little room for interpretation.
Enforcement powers across borders
The current restrictions on licensing authorities to enforce standards across borders is an issue that surfaced throughout the written evidence. It is clearly a frustration for enforcement officers and for those licensing drivers who are subject to local enforcement. It seems like common sense to allow cross-border enforcement, but it would require some standardised policies. There would need to be an agreement on resources for enforcement, particularly in areas where there is a high volume of drivers operating who are licensed elsewhere. There are already examples of cooperation and joint enforcement activities which could act as a model for this.
Accessibility improvements
Disability awareness training is another area that is inconsistent across licensing authorities. While only around two-thirds of licensing authorities require disability awareness training, there is significant variation in the quality of the training. In addition, to training inconsistencies is the availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs). This is an area where national government and local authorities must work with the wider
OCTOBER 2025 PHTM
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
