Taxi Driver Online

Ours are ceasing to do this from 1st Jan 2026 - thoughts?

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

and here's the letter I propose to send;

Date: 24th November 2025


Subject: Concerns Regarding Withdrawal of Renewal Reminder Letters for Licensed Drivers

Dear Mr ,

I am writing to you directly as Chief Executive of Cumberland Council to raise serious concerns about the recent decision to discontinue the practice of sending renewal reminder letters to licensed taxi drivers. This matter has significant implications for both the public and the licensees, and I believe it warrants your personal attention.

For many years, it has been custom and practice for the licensing department to issue renewal reminders by post. This system provided a safeguard against inadvertent lapses in licensing, ensuring that drivers remained compliant and that the public could rely on properly licensed vehicles. The sudden withdrawal of this practice introduces unnecessary risk:

• To the public, who may unknowingly travel in vehicles operated by drivers whose licences have expired.
• To the licensees, who face potential enforcement action, loss of livelihood, and reputational damage if they miss renewal deadlines.

What is particularly troubling is the lack of consultation with drivers and stakeholders prior to this change. Decisions of this magnitude should be made transparently, with input from those directly affected. I therefore request a clear explanation of the reasons behind this policy shift, and the process by which it was reached.

It must also be emphasised that licensees fund the licensing department through their fees. As paying stakeholders, drivers have a reasonable expectation that the department will provide basic administrative support, including renewal reminders. Removing this service undermines confidence in the council’s commitment to fair and effective regulation.

I am contacting you directly because this issue goes beyond routine administration. It strikes at the heart of public safety, professional accountability, and trust in the council’s governance. While I respect the role of the licensing team, the decision to withdraw reminders has wider implications that require senior oversight.

Finally, I must highlight that many drivers are of the older generation and are not skilled with modern technology. Expecting them to rely solely on digital systems or self-monitoring without reminders is unrealistic and discriminatory in practice. The council should be supporting inclusivity, not creating barriers.

I therefore ask:

1. What were the reasons for discontinuing renewal reminder letters?
2. Who authorised this decision, and was any consultation undertaken?
3. Will the council reconsider and reinstate this practice in light of the risks and concerns raised?

I look forward to your response and trust that you will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves.

Yours sincerely,

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

There is nothing in legislation that says drivers/owners/operators must be given notice of when they need to relicense.

What I can say, and this should be UK wide, is that my driver’s expiry date hangs around my neck every day I work, and my vehicle expiry date is fixed to my windscreen.

I would be as thick as pigs poo if I let my license lapse.

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IDFIMH

I dont actually disagree - however - my problem is, if this is a cost saving measure, the savings achieved by licensing staff not doing this function should be passed on to licensees?

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Well I can’t disagree with that, but I suspect the council will say that this policy will reduce any future increases.

Which we know is utter rubbish.

Back to the notifications. We all know loads of drivers who are lovely people but absolutely hopeless with any kind of admin, and not receiving those reminders will have an effect.

But they are grown people, and they need to start acting like it.

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IDFIMH

Perhaps not but renewal notification became "custom and practice" over the years and as such any costs were included in the licensing fee.

DBS send out a renewal notification for your DBS update subscription yet there is no legislation saying they have too, many drivers are still being suspended for non renwal and have to pay the extra expense for a new DBS check.

However, it wouldn't be asking too much for the council to email or text a driver/owner/operator a month or so before their license expires.

Given that many of us receive texts and emails from the council about the most mundane matters, informing licensees that their license is about to expire should be a sensible alternative to sending the relicensing bundle out.

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IDFIMH

I'm in two minds about this. Part of me says that if you can't remember to renew your licences, should you really be getting a licence in the first place?

Then again, I've occasionally forgotten about quite important stuff like that, although not my taxi licenses specifically

We have three-year badges and plates in Fife, so it's probably a bit more irregular than most, and obviously because of evolving procedures and lockdown etc, I had to look back to remember what happens

But almost 100% sure I only got email reminders for both my renewals last time round about two years ago. So there was certainly not the waste and cost associated with the snail mail reminder letters we used to get.

We don't get the recorded delivery letter we used to get for the annual vehicle inspections either - this explains how it works, essentially:


(Usual caveat regarding the above is that an operator in Scotland is a vehicle plateholder/proprietor, hence 'operator' used in relation to the annual vehicle inspections. Also, in Fife we're all tested during the same few weeks each year, as opposed to the more usual rolling basis elsewhere.)

Not sure precisely how Fife does it, but with a properly setup electronic system, reminders should be sent out automatically.

For all it's faults, I'm willing to bet Wolverhampton licence holders will be automatically sent any reminders about stuff like that, at zero cost and effort to the council after the licensing database is set up properly.

Which, in turn, is one reason why they can offer licences so cheaply

I became a real-life example without knowing it.

As a plate-holder, I get council letters through the post (tariff change, annual inspection, etc) but nothing about my drivers badge. Got a roadside check by council enforcement tonight and they recommended renewing my 3-year badge ASAP before it expires on 31 December. Which was handy because otherwise, I'd probably have forgotten.

I hope you reminded them that you could submit your renewal up to and including Hogmanay and you would still have an extant badge until they got round to processing it, Mr XH588?

But, aye, you've just reminded me of an exception to Fife Council's email policy for the licence renewals and the vehicle inspections.

So I'm pretty sure we still get letters once the tariff is finalised.

But I suspect that's because it's baked into the legislation, which is very convoluted, prescriptive and procedural in terms of the whole fare review process. And of the subsequent right of appeal to the traffic commissioner

The letter is mentioned in subsection (5)(a) of section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 here:

(Sections 18 and 19 also deal with the appeal process and publication of the final tariff respectively.)

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/45/section/17

Funny thing, however, is although I can't be bothered reading it all through, that subsection seems to say that the letter should be sent recorded delivery, but I don't think it is these days

(Although I could be wrong, but should be able to confirm one way or the other in next few weeks...)

Anyway, our annual inspection, er, summons used to be sent recorded delivery, then they started just using a standard snail mail letter, then they abandoned that in favour of the current email-only procedure.

Most of the drivers on circuits will get daily reminders via their dataheads in the weeks running up to expiry.

I know I do, and it drives me bloody mad every morning.

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IDFIMH

I don't disagree - but no consultation where a different manner of notification could be suggested

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

case in point

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Our council’s problem is they send them out too early, at least three months early! Fair enough if it’s a badge renewal but if it’s just a six month (intermediate) MOT check it’s easy to forget. Ours send them out as a ‘courtesy’ not a requirement, or so they say when you complain after not receiving one!

most councils do it as a courtesy. I have had this discussion with our LO once and he insisted it is our responsibility to keep track of compliance tests and due dates .

I think the argument should be that all councils send you council tax bills and as license renewals are a revenue item the same should apply

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector