Institute of Licensing calls for urgent reform of taxi and private hire licensing

The Institute of Licensing (IoL) submitted evidence to the Transport Committee calling for urgent reform of the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing regime across England and Wales. The organisation, representing licensing professionals from local authorities, police, and industry, argued that the existing framework was outdated, inconsistent, and inadequate for modern regulatory needs.

The IoL recommended the introduction of national minimum standards for drivers, vehicles, and operators to address issues such as “licence shopping” and cross-border hiring, which it said undermined local enforcement and public confidence.

It also called for stronger enforcement powers to allow licensing officers to regulate any driver or vehicle operating in their area, regardless of where they were licensed. The institute highlighted the need for improved data sharing between police and licensing authorities, citing past safeguarding failures linked to limited access to intelligence.

The IoL’s revised Suitability Guidance, published in 2024, was proposed as a model for assessing applicants’ fitness and propriety. It included expanded criteria for criminal convictions and risk assessment, and the institute urged the Department for Transport to adopt it into statutory standards.

Additional proposals included:

• Mandatory in-vehicle CCTV with secure data handling
• National training standards covering safeguarding, disability awareness, and county lines
• Legislative updates to replace laws dating back to 1847
• Exemptions for school transport-only licences
• A review of wheelchair accessibility requirements to avoid unintended reductions in fleet size

The IoL warned that without reform, the sector would continue to face fragmented regulation, enforcement challenges, and risks to passenger safety. It offered to collaborate with government bodies to develop a unified framework that balanced public protection with operational fairness.