ROUND THE COUNCILS FOREST OF DEAN: TAXI CRISIS OVER FALLING NUMBERS
Rural communities in the Forest of Dean are facing a severe transport shortage after new figures revealed there are just 58 licensed taxis and PHVs serving a local population of nearly 90,000 people. According to DfT statistics from April 2026, this equates to a mere 0.6 vehicles for every 1,000 residents, placing the district among the areas most vulnerable to becoming a rural taxi desert. The local fleet consists of just six licensed HCs and 52 PHVs, leaving residents with very few options as local bus routes and public services are scaled back. The stark local figures reflect a wider national divide between urban and rural transport availability. While major towns and cities boast an average of 7.6 licensed vehicles per 1,000 residents, intermediate rural areas manage only 1.9. Across England as a whole, total licensed vehicles rose by 9% to 342,300 since 2024, though this growth was driven entirely by a 13% in PHVs, while traditional HC numbers fell by 7%. The true availability of local cabs in the Forest of Dean may be even lower than the figures suggest. Licensing records do not account for whether vehicles are actually on the road at specific times, and many registered cars are tied up with school contracts or operate outside the district entirely, leaving rural passengers struggling to secure rides.
CALDERDALE: SAFETY FEARS SPARK MOT DEBATE
Taxi drivers in Calderdale are facing a clash over vehicle safety checks after a council meeting heard that a cab’s handbrake completely failed just weeks after passing an MOT at a private garage. The alarming incident was highlighted by senior councillors as the local authority rejected calls to allow private garages to carry out mandatory taxi tests. The debate began when Councillor Mohammed Shazad Fazal asked the cabinet to introduce approved private garages, cut licensing delays and improve access to the council’s Battinson Road transport centre in Halifax to better support local drivers. Cllr Fazal said his ward is one of the area’s most deprived and that constituents rely heavily on the taxi trade. He argued that changes would reduce delays,
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support drivers’ incomes and strengthen a vital local service. However, Cllr Peter Hunt, Cabinet member for Public Services, firmly rejected the idea of using private garages, insisting that public safety must come first. He explained that the council would still hold ultimate legal liability for vehicle standards even if testing was outsourced. Cllr Hunt said: “Through our transport team we have also reported several local MOT certified garages to VOSA where taxis and PHVs have passed a recent MOT test that subsequently failed the council’s compliance tests on the same inspection points.” He added: “On one occasion this resulted in a dangerous fail where the vehicle’s handbrake was found not to be functioning only a couple of weeks after passing a MOT at a private garage.” Defending the council’s current system, Cllr Hunt stated that keeping compliance testing in-house ensures vehicles are genuinely fit to transport customers. He also noted that testing appointments are typically available within a week, and licences are issued the next day once legal checks are complete.
GLASGOW: VITAL RANK SAVED AFTER BACKLASH
A prominent 24-hour taxi rank in Glasgow’s west end will remain open after a proposal to scrap it faced a massive backlash from drivers. Glasgow City Council’s licensing committee unanimously rejected a request to revoke the historic rank on Queen Margaret Drive, which has served the area for over 70 years. The resident had petitioned to remove the rank, claiming it was “overcrowded and not fit for purpose” warning that “it’s only a matter of time before a serious accident happens due to the position of the rank.” A representative for the applicant argued that modern taxis are too long to fit four vehicles in the space, leading to illegal double parking, hazardous U- turns across four lanes of traffic, and early-morning anti-social behaviour in the residential street. However, there were more than 30 objections from the trade. Dougie McPherson of Glasgow Taxis stressed the importance of the site at a major intersection near popular venues. Robert Finlayson noted that the taxis serve the local nightlife and argued: “Whilst there may be objections to drivers committing traffic offences, I don’t believe that’s an issue that should be up to the licensing committee. That’s something that should be taken to Police Scotland.”
SEPTEMBER 2026 PHTM
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