Taxi Driver Online

Wish I hadn't bothered putting all this on here now

Anyway, just had a quick skim of this, and basically the Government is cautious on just about everything the TransComm recommended, and doesn't look like it will change its current trajectory much.

And, most obviously, cross-border working will probably just be watered down rather than an ABBA rule, or whatever.

And no absolute national standards, no firm commitment to CCTV, etc, etc

But to that extent, it's all a bit waffly. And the odd spelling mistake, and at least one paragraph repeated, which I've just left in

The link to the pdf is at the bottom.


Raising the standard: Government response

First Special Report of Session 2026–27

Transport Committee, Tuesday 20 October 2026

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/c ... eport.html

First Special Report

The Transport Committee published its First Report of Session 2026–27, Raising the standard: licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles, (HC 80), on 10 June 2026. The Government Response was received on 14 September 2026 and is appended below.


Appendix 1: Government response


Introduction and summary

The Government welcomes the Transport Select Committee’s report, “Raising the standard: licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles”, published on 10th June 2026 following its inquiry into the licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles [PHVs]. The Government is grateful to the Committee and to all those who contributed evidence for their engagement with this important issue.

Taxis and PHVs play a crucial role in the daily lives of many people, enabling essential journeys to work, school, and medical appointments. They are particularly important for those who may have limited access to alternative forms of public transport, including disabled passengers, older people, and those living in rural areas. For many of these users, taxis and PHVs are a vital means of maintaining independence, accessing employment, and reaching key services such as healthcare.

The Committee has brought forward its recommendations at a pivotal time. As announced in the King’s Speech on 13th May 2026, the Government will publish a draft Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. These reforms are intended to strengthen safeguards, improve consistency across the licensing framework, and enhance accessibility. They will also support the Government’s wider commitment to addressing the recommendations from the Baroness Casey Review, particularly Recommendation 11, which called for reforms which address inconsistent licensing standards and to strengthen safeguarding requirements. The Government looks forward to working closely with the Committee throughout this process to ensure that the legislation developed is robust and addresses the challenges currently facing the sector.

Having carefully considered the Committee’s report and the evidence presented, the Government’s response to its recommendations is set out below.


Recommendation 1

We urge the government to use the Law Commission’s 2014 draft bill and the report of the Task and Finish group as its starting points, updating them where necessary to reflect and incorporate app based operators.

A new framework should maintain clear distinctions between taxis and private hire vehicles, while placing both within a single consolidated statutory framework.

Government Response

The Law Commission’s 2014 draft Bill provides a strong foundation for reform and that there should continue to be a clear distinction between taxis and PHVs. This is something the Government plans to retain in its draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny.

The Government also recognises the contribution of the Task and Finish Group, which provided valuable recommendations to strengthen safeguarding, improve consistency, and support more effective enforcement within the existing framework.

The Task and Finish Group and the Law Commission reached different conclusions on several key issues. In particular, the Law Commission proposed a more flexible national framework, including consistent standards for PHVs and fewer restrictions on where journeys may take place. By contrast, the Task and Finish Group recommended tighter controls on out-of-area working, including requiring that journeys start or end within the licensing area, and proposed that licensing authorities should, where justified, have powers to limit the number of taxis and PHVs

The Government will draw on both the Law Commission’s draft Bill and the work of the Task and Finish Group in developing its reforms, while updating and adapting their proposals to reflect the current market.


Recommendation 2

We urge the department to bring forward a clear plan to curtail the extensive practice of out-of-area working (OOAW) and create greater incentives for drivers to license in the locality in which they operate. This will enable local licensing authorities to take enforcement action more readily, keep both drivers and passengers safe, and restore trust that has been lost across the sector.

Government Response

As stated in the Committee’s report, the ways people travel are not restricted to administrative boundaries. The Government recognises that taxis and PHVs play a vital role in connecting people to employment, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities, particularly in more rural areas.

The Government shares the Committee’s concern regarding the extent of out-of-area working [OOAW] by taxis and PHVs and the challenges it presents. As the Committee notes, OOAW has raised issues regarding the consistency of standards, the effectiveness of enforcement, and the alignment of enforcement resources with areas of demand.

We agree that the current system has created a patchwork of licensing standards across the country, creating an incentive for some drivers and operators to license in areas with lower requirements, quicker processing times, or lower licensing fees. The Government has already taken action to address this through proposals to introduce national standards and consulting on moving the licensing level to local transport authorities. These could reduce the incentive for license shopping and reduce inconsistencies in standards.

The Committee is right to highlight the enforcement challenges associated with OOAW. Currently, enforcement powers rest with the licensing authority that issued the licence, which can limit the ability of other authorities to take action against drivers who operate outside the area where they are licensed. The Government has already taken steps, through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, to address this. New powers adopted in the Act will enable local authorities to immediately suspend licenses in the interests of public safety, regardless of where a driver is licensed. To support licensing authorities in using this new power, the Government will provide guidance on its use to ensure it is exercised consistently and where justified by the circumstances of the case.

Any reforms introduced by the Government will be guided by the need to ensure passenger safety, particularly for women and girls, whilst ensuring that communities continue to have access to a reliable and accessible taxi and PHV service. The Government recognises that there is a relationship between restrictions on cross-border working, service availability, and passenger safety. Any measures that significantly restrict journeys across licensing boundaries could reduce vehicle availability in some areas, increase waiting times, and make it harder for passengers to access transport when and where they need it. In its evidence to the Committee, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust emphasised the importance of ensuring reforms support passenger safety and highlighted the need for a regulatory framework that protects the public while maintaining effective provision. The Government agrees and will therefore carefully consider any proposals that could limit cross-border working, ensuring reforms strengthen safety, safeguarding and regulatory oversight while not negatively impacting suply.

We will continue to work with the Committee, licensing authorities, industry representatives, unions and passenger groups to develop these options further.


Recommendation 3

Following the conclusion of its consultation on transferring taxi and PHV licensing to local transport authorities, the department should publish a comparative appraisal of licensing models, including the local transport authority approach and a potential national licensing model. This appraisal should assess which model would best reduce incentives for extensive out-of-area working.

Government Response

The consultation on proposals to transfer taxi and PHV licensing responsibilities to Local Transport Authorities [LTAs] closed on 1st April 2026. The Government intends to publish its full response to the consultation by the end of the year.

Taxi and PHV licensing in England is currently undertaken at a highly localised level. Responsibility rests, with the exception of London, with individual district, borough, or unitary authorities. These licensing authorities are responsible for setting requirements for drivers, vehicles, and operators within their areas, as well as undertaking compliance and enforcement activity

As part of its response to the consultation, the Government will consider different licensing models, including LTA-based approaches and potential alternative arrangements, such as a more nationally consistent framework. This will include a comparative assessment of how different models could support more consistent standards, improve the alignment between licensing and enforcement, and reduce incentives for extensive out-of-area working.


Recommendation 4

The government’s plan for national minimum standards must not mean low by default. The areas in which variation in standards is permitted should be minimised in order to disincentivise licence shopping and set at a high level wherever possible to ensure consistently high-quality passenger experience.

Government Response

The Government notes the Committee’s recommendation. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act received Royal Assent on 29th April 2026 and provides the Secretary of State with powers to introduce national standards for taxi and PHVs.

National standards must be sufficiently robust to improve consistency and maintain high levels of passenger safety and service quality. We recognise the Committee’s concern that standards set too low, or with excessive scope for local variation, could perpetuate the incentives for license shopping and undermine confidence in the regulatory framework.

The Government is committed to developing national standards that are clear, enforceable, and set at an appropriately high level. These standards will seek to reduce unnecessary variation between licensing authorities, particularly in relation to safety, driver training, and accessibility. They will also aim to ensure passengers can have confidence in receiving a consistently safe and high-quality service, regardless of where they travel or where a driver, vehicle or operator is licensed.

There could be a role for local flexibility in certain areas, allowing licensing authorities to respond to specific local circumstances and policy priorities. In developing the standards, careful consideration will therefore be given to where a consistent national approach is essential, and where limited variation may be justified to reflect local needs.

However, the Government is clear that any element of local flexibility will not come at the expense of public safety, and the core safety and safeguarding requirements will be set nationally to ensure consistently high standards across England.. Where local varaiton is required we will consider how this could interact with any wider reforms, including any potential measures to incentivise or require drivers to be licenced in the area in which they undertake the majority of their work.

The Government will engage closely with local authorities, industry representatives, trade unions, and passenger groups as part of this process.


Recommendation 5

We also recommend that requirements for safeguarding training and clear requirements for frequency of rechecking DBS certificates be included in national standards so that they are applied uniformly across every licensing authority. The department should also review the impact that legislative changes have had on DBS filtering and work with relevant partners to ensure these do not create unintended gaps in the information available to licensing authorities.

Government Response

The Government agrees with the Committee on the importance of robust and consistent safeguarding requirements across taxis and PHVs. The safety of passengers will always remain our top priority.

The Government intends to include standards on safeguarding, including the completion of safeguarding training, as part of the forthcoming national standards. These will set consistent requirements for all licensing authorities to ensure that absolute safeguarding protections are applied across England. All national standards, including those relating to safeguarding and training, will be subject to consultation.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring licensing authorities have access to relevant and comprehensive information when making decisions about the suitability of drivers. Enhanced DBS checks with a check of the barred lists play an important role in this.


Recommendation 6

The government should ensure that guidance clearly links the criteria for making a fit and proper person judgement to national licensing standards.

Government Response

There should be a clear and consistent link between national licensing standards and the criteria used by licensing authorities in determining whether an individual is a fit and proper person to hold a licence.

As part of the development of national standards, the Government will ensure that these are explicitly aligned with, and inform, the assessment of fit and proper person status. This will support greater consistency in decision making across licensing authorities. In addition, the Government will review the relevant statutory guidance to ensure it clearly reflects this.


Recommendation 7

The department should work with the Home Office to place information sharing between policing bodies and licensing authorities on a statutory footing so that there are common expectations everywhere. This should include a duty to share relevant safeguarding and risk information for licensing purposes, supported by a standard expectation on timeliness.

Government Response

The Government recognises the importance of timely and effective information sharing between policing bodies and licensing authorities, particularly in relation to safeguarding and the assessment of risk.

Inconsistencies in current information sharing arrangements can undermine licensing authorities’ ability to make informed decisions about a driver’s suitability and to act promptly when concerns arise. As well as considering this as part of the Department’s feasibility work on the national licensing database, the Government will continue to work closely with the Home Office and licensing authorities to review existing mechanisms for improving information sharing.


Recommendation 8

The national licensing database should enable licensing authorities to confirm licence status, licensing history and the responsible authority quickly and ensure that refusals, revocations and other relevant decisions are recorded consistently and visible to all authorities. The department should set out a clear timescale on which this work will be completed.

Government Response

The Government is progressing work on developing a national licensing database for taxis and PHVs. This system will enable licensing authorities to confirm key information, including licence status, licensing history, and the identity of the responsible licensing authority. It will also support the sharing of other relevant decisions, including refusals, suspensions, and revocations, improving transparency, and reducing the risk of unsuitable individuals obtaining a license in another area.

We recognise that the effectiveness of a national licensing database will depend not only on the information it contains, but also on the consistency and timeliness of data entry, clear and consistent standards governing the information recorded, and how licensing authorities access it. As part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, the Government will consider requirements for information that must be recorded on the database, including previous licensing decisions, together with expectations and timescales for submitting and updating records. These considerations will form a core part of the design process.

The Government also recognises the Committee’s request for a clear timetable. While it is not possible at this stage to set out a detailed delivery schedule, the Government intends to provide further information on scope, design, and indicative timelines as the work progresses and once initial feasibility and development stages have been completed.

The Government also recognises the Committee’s request for a clear timetable. While it is not possible to set out a detailed delivery schedule at this stage, the Government intends to provide further information on scope, design, and indicative timelines once the initial feasibility and development stages are complete. We expect a discovery phase to begin in the autumn of this year and be completed by spring 2027.

We will continue to engage with licensing authorities, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to ensure that the system supports improved decision making and enforcement.


Recommendation 9

We recommend that the government consult within the next 12 months on introducing mandatory in vehicle CCTV, with a view to including this requirement within national standards if it is sufficiently supported by evidence. The consultation should also seek views on how data protection, privacy and storage concerns could be suitably addressed.

Government Response

The Government will include the issue of in-vehicle CCTV within the forthcoming consultation on national standards, which we intend to publish by the end of this year. This will ensure that the question is considered alongside other measures to improve safety in taxis and PHVs.

The Government recognises that any requirement for CCTV would need to be designed in a way which appropriately balances safeguarding benefits with individuals’ rights to privacy and obligations under data protection legislation. Any decision to introduce such a requirement will consider consultation responses, relevant evidence, and stakeholder engagement, including with the Information Commissioner’s Office and industry representatives.


Recommendation 10

National standards should set a clear benchmark for licensing processing times, covering applications, renewals and variations, and require all licensing authorities to publish performance against that benchmark in a consistent format.

Government Response

The Government recognises the importance of timely and efficient taxi and PHV licensing processes, given their impact on drivers’ livelihoods and the provision of services.

However, there would be challenges associated with introducing a national benchmark for licensing processing times. Licensing authorities operate in local contexts, with significant variation in application volumes, available resources, and reliance on external processes such as Disclosure and Barring Service checks and medical assessments. Fixed national benchmarks could place undue pressure on authorities and inadvertently incentivise speed at the expense of robust safeguarding and public safety considerations.

The current powers in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act would not extend to requiring authorities to meet or report against a benchmark. The Government will consider if the introduction of this measure is necessary as part of future reforms.

The Government supports the sharing of best practice across licensing authorities, including more efficient application handling, risk based processing, and streamlined renewals for compliant drivers and operators.


Recommendation 11

The government’s proposal to move responsibility for licensing to local transport authorities will not apply in London, where Transport for London already acts as the licensing authority. London’s recent experience of licensing backlogs demonstrates that this reform will not, at a stroke, solve resourcing and efficiency issues.

The department must consider what can be learned from this experience about the operational and resourcing conditions that need to be in place if licensing responsibilities are to be exercised efficiently and reliably at a larger strategic authority level.

Government Response

The Government recognises the importance of learning from all licensing authorities, including the impact of operational pressures, and system changes on licensing performance. The Department will work with Transport for London and other licensing authorities to identify and share lessons learned.

A key element of this approach will be the active sharing of best practices and practical learning across the sector. The Government considers greater collaboration between licensing authorities essential to supporting improvement, enabling authorities to benefit from proven approaches to managing demand, streamlining processes, and maintaining high safeguarding standards.


Recommendation 12

National standards should set proportionate and fair requirements for key elements of driver competence, including spoken English language proficiency and appropriate knowledge of the areas in which drivers operate.

Government Response

The Government agrees that national standards should support clear requirements for driver competence. This includes ensuring drivers can communicate effectively with passengers, understand instructions, and operate safely.

The Government intends to include areas of driver competence within the forthcoming national standards consultation, including consideration of English language proficiency. In doing so, the Department will have to consider established benchmarks for English language ability as well as existing requirements for other modes of public transport, such as bus and coach drivers, where communication is also essential.

In developing these proposals, particular care will be taken to ensure that any requirements do not create unnecessary barriers to entry. The Government recognises the need to strike the right balance between consistency at a national level and flexibility to reflect local circumstances.

The Department will engage closely with licensing authorities, industry representatives, passenger groups, and other stakeholders to ensure that a wide range of perspectives and evidence are considered.


Recommendation 13

National standards should include mandatory disability awareness and equality training for drivers and operators, to be provided to a high minimum standard of quality, with clear refresher requirements and effective enforcement against non-compliance.

Government Response

Improving accessibility across the taxi and PHV sector is a priority for this Government, and we recognise the importance of ensuring that drivers and operators are equipped to support disabled passengers.

The Government recognises the need for disability equality awareness training to be included as part of national standards. The consultation will set out proposals for the training, and appropriate refresher requirements to ensure knowledge remains current.

The Government will work with stakeholders, including licensing authorities, industry representatives, and disability groups, to ensure the requirements support meaningful improvements in passenger experience.


Recommendation 14

The department should publish a national plan to increase wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) provision. The plan should be underpinned by a single national WAV fleet requirement, specifying the minimum proportion of each licensing authority’s total licensed fleet that must be wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The plan should require every licensing authority to demonstrate and report progress against that requirement. While local delivery models may differ, including in rural and low-density areas, the required minimum proportion of WAVs and the standard of passenger access those vehicles must meet should be consistent nationally. The plan should also include:

• a new requirement to improve transparency, requiring all operators to publish their fleet’s provision of WAVs; and

• specific measures to improve WAV provision and provide greater incentives for drivers to use them across the country, including rural and low-density areas

Government Response

The Government recognises the importance of increasing the availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles [WAVs] to ensure disabled passengers can travel safely, reliably, and with confidence.

Introducing a single national minimum fleet requirement for WAV provision would not come without challenges. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee has stressed the importance of a mixed fleet to meet the needs of disabled passengers best. The demand for wheelchair accessible services varies significantly across areas, reflecting local demographics, travel patterns, and the availability of alternative accessible transport options, particularly in rural areas.

There are operational challenges in delivering consistent WAV availability. These include the fact that many PHV drivers are self-employed and own their vehicles, the need to ensure coverage at different times of day, and the concentration of demand at specific times, such as peak travel periods and home to school transport. These factors mean that a minimum fleet proportion would not necessarily guarantee the availability of accessible service when and where it is needed.

The Government is committed to exploring approaches to increasing WAV provision and will consider all options as part of our ongoing reforms to ensure demand for these vital services is met.


Recommendation 15

The plan should also be accompanied by additional funding, delivered through licensing authorities, to help drivers meet the costs of acquiring, adapting, and maintaining WAVs.

Government Response

The Government acknowledges the financial challenges associated with the provision of wheelchair accessible vehicles [WAVs], including the higher upfront costs of purchase or conversion, as well as ongoing maintenance and operational costs. These factors can act as barriers to wider adoption, particularly for PHV drivers who own the cars they drive.

The Department will continue to explore a range of alternatives to support and incentivise the uptake of WAVs as part of its broader policy development.


Recommendation 16

Accessibility in the broadest sense also means giving users the widest variety of options for finding out about and booking services both digital and non-digital. The department should consider including provision of a range of booking options by operators in the national standards.

Government Response

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring passengers can access taxis and PHVs through a range of booking channels. Providing a variety of booking options can help ensure services are accessible to all passengers, including those who may have different needs, or preferences. The Government will explore the feasibility of including such requirements in the national standards consultation.

The Department will engage with licensing authorities, operators, passenger groups, and disability stakeholders to ensure any proposals are practical, evidence based and deliver meaningful improvements in access to services.


Recommendation 17

The introduction of national standards should be accompanied by a single national complaint and incident reporting portal for taxi and private hire services. It should be digitally inclusive, route reports to the responsible authority, and include clear service standards for acknowledgement, updates, and resolution.

Government Response

The Government supports improvements to complaints and incident reporting across the taxi and PHVs, recognising their importance for passenger safety, confidence, and effective oversight.

The Government agrees with the principle of a more consistent and accessible approach, including the potential for a national system. Complaints should be considered in the first instance by the relevant operator and or licensing authority, with a potential national system providing a route for escalation where resolution has not been achieved or where issues indicate broader systemic or safeguarding concerns.

The Government will consider this, among a range of options, as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process.


Recommendation 18

We welcome the minister’s statement that the government wants licensing authorities to be able to take enforcement action against all the taxis and PHVs operating in their area. We look forward to the government’s forthcoming legislation setting out a clear pathway to achieving this.

Government Response

The Government is committed to strengthening enforcement powers to ensure that licensing authorities can take action against all taxis and PHVs operating within their areas, regardless of where they are licensed. The Government has already taken action, through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act as a first step to strengthen enforcement powers. These will enable the immediate suspension of licences in the interests of public safety, regardless of where a driver is licensed.

The Government recognises that the current framework can create challenges for authorities seeking to address non-compliance, particularly where vehicles operate away from where they are licensed.

Expanded enforcement powers will need to be accompanied by clear guidance, safeguards, and effective information sharing to ensure that authorities can act confidently while avoiding duplication or inconsistency.

Measures to achieve this will be considered during the pre-legislative scrutiny process to establish a clear pathway for implementation.


Recommendation 19

The government should address the current mismatch between enforcement responsibilities and funding by enabling licensing authorities to recover the costs of enforcement action taken against out-of-area drivers from the authority that issued the licence. Transitional support may be required to build enforcement capacity in authorities with more limited resources.

Government Response

The Government recognises the challenges associated with the current distribution of enforcement responsibilities and resources, particularly in cases involving out-of-area drivers and operators. This can place disproportionate burdens on certain licensing authorities and create inconsistencies in enforcement.

The Government agrees that there is a need to consider how the framework can better align enforcement responsibilities with appropriate funding mechanisms, while ensuring that any approach remains fair, proportionate, and workable in practice. Such mechanisms would require careful design, including consideration of administrative complexity, and ensuring a consistency of approaches across authorities.

The Government believes drivers should ordinarily be licensed by the authority in the area where they intend to undertake the majority of their work. To support this ambition, as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, the Government will consider a range of policy approaches to disincentivise out-of-area working. If effective, this would help address the mismatch between enforcement responsibilities and funding.

https://committees.parliament.uk/public ... andard/pdf

I'm not so sure.

If it were down to the civil servants in the DfT, then you could be right, but it's worth reminding folks that the biggest critic of cross-border hiring (outside of the trade) is currently the Prime Minister, and there are a load of articles and radio show recordings that the unions will be pointing out to him and the other ministers.

The very last paragraph was interesting.

The Government believes drivers should ordinarily be licensed by the authority in the area where they intend to undertake the majority of their work. To support this ambition, as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, the Government will consider a range of policy approaches to disincentivise out-of-area working. If effective, this would help address the mismatch between enforcement responsibilities and funding.


To be that's binning off Unite's 'must be from or to the driver's area', but not binning off my idea about predominantly working in your licensing area.

_________________
IDFIMH

This is how the chair of the Transport Commitee responded - brief, but obviously not too happy about the Government's limited response to the cross-border issue




Anyway, for anyone without the time to read the whole response above, Taxi Point did a 'deep dive' on it all yesterday. Wonder how they managed to get all that out in an hour or two?

But it's not exactly a short summary either - so maybe better to get it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. Although there's a bit of added detail, numbers and commentary here, but whether that enlightens or not I don't know - didn't read this either



THE DEEP DIVE: Government reveals response to huge taxi licensing reform plans covering CCTV, English tests, driver databases and out-of-area working

https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/the-d ... ctv-englis



And this is the GMB's response - they obviously spent a whole lot of time wading through it all. Not