Government pressed on transparency rules for cross‑border private hire bookings

A recent written parliamentary exchange has put a spotlight on how clearly passengers are informed when their private hire vehicle (PHV) booking is subcontracted to an operator licensed in a different area. The question, raised by Liberal Democrat MP Will Forster, asked whether the Department for Transport (DfT) plans to issue guidance to licensing authorities on improving consumer transparency in these situations.

Mr Forster’s query reflects long‑running concerns within the taxi and private hire sector about cross‑border subcontracting—a legal practice that allows operators to pass bookings to another licensed operator, even one based in a different local authority area. Critics argue that passengers are often unaware when this happens, leaving them unclear about which authority regulates the driver and vehicle providing the service.

Transport minister Lilian Greenwood said the Department “keeps its guidance to licensing authorities under review” and highlighted ongoing legislation aimed at improving consistency of licensing standards across England. She stated that the Government wants passengers to have confidence that services meet robust standards “regardless of where a passenger travels.”

While the answer reaffirmed the Government’s broader regulatory ambitions, it did not confirm whether specific new guidance on transparency for subcontracted bookings is planned—something that at least one TheyWorkForYou user noted by marking the response as not fully addressing the question.