Bolt submits supplementary evidence to Transport Select Committee

Bolt has doubled down on its defence of cross‑border private hire work, telling MPs that journeys carried out by out‑of‑area drivers are not inherently less safe and should not be restricted by new legislation. The position was set out in supplementary written evidence submitted to the Transport Select Committee following the company’s oral evidence session.

The submission expands on data previously highlighted in industry reporting, including figures showing that out‑of‑area drivers working in London recorded significantly fewer safety‑related complaints than London‑licensed drivers in 2024. According to Bolt, out‑of‑area licensees generated 0.128 safety complaints per 10,000 trips, compared with 4.894 per 10,000 for London‑licensed drivers.

Bolt argues that this demonstrates safety concerns are best addressed through consistent national standards and strong enforcement, rather than by restricting where drivers can legally operate.

In its evidence, Bolt warns that limiting drivers to their licensing area—through geofencing or “licensed‑area‑only” rules—would:

Reduce coverage and increase waiting times
Hit rural and suburban passengers hardest
Increase dead mileage and reduce driver earnings
Leave passengers stranded at local authority boundaries

The company says its data shows no link between cross‑border work and increased risk, provided licensing standards are aligned. It supports the existing “triple lock” model, where the driver, vehicle and operator are licensed by the same authority, but allowed to accept work elsewhere.

Bolt told MPs that public confidence is strengthened not by geography but by robust compliance tools, including: