Government consults on transferring taxi and PHV licensing to local transport authorities in England

In a consultation launched today, the Department for Transport said the proposals would reduce the number of bodies able to issue licences from 263 to 70.

This would reduce the number of area boundaries and drivers would have fewer opportunities to seek out less stringent licensing rules, the Government said.

Under the current system, district councils make up the vast majority of taxi and PHV licensing authorities, accounting for 164 bodies. There are also 62 unitary authorities and 36 metropolitan councils with licensing powers.

Transport for London is responsible for issuing licences for drivers in the capital.

The proposals suggest that licensing powers be transferred to LTAs, which would mean unitary authorities and strategic authorities would take control of handing out licences.

Under the Transport Act 2000, LTAs are responsible for formulating transport policies and publishing them through a local transport plan.

There are 70 LTAs in England, the majority of which are unitary councils. The consultation document states that the Government’s ambition is for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing to be wholly controlled by strategic authorities, apart from in London, where Transport for London would retain responsibility.

It notes that this ambition can only be realised once the Government has implemented its goal of universal coverage of strategic authorities across England.

The consultation launched on Thursday (8 January) and will run for 12 weeks.

It follows Baroness Casey's National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which recommended more rigorous standards for taxi licensing.

Writing in the foreword to the consultation, which runs for 12 weeks, Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood described the proposed transfer of taxi and PHV licensing to LTAs as "just one potential, but incredibly significant, option to identify the right level of regulating this form of transport".

Adam Carey