The Government is looking at proposals to reduce the practice of out-of-area working, which sees drivers obtaining their licence in one area and operating mainly in another.
The practice has been prolific in Manchester where more than half of private-hire vehicles operating in the region are licensed elsewhere, posing a safety risk and making it unfair for local operators.
Currently, 263 different bodies issue licences to drivers, including councils and Transport for London (TfL). But under the proposals set out in a new consultation launched by the Department for Transport today, this would be reduced to 70 LTAs, which already manage local transport planning.
This change would simplify the licensing system, improve enforcement, and tackle “out-of-area” working, which happens when drivers licensed in one area operate mainly in another, creating safety risks and unfair competition.
By reducing the number of licensing authorities, the number of boundaries between areas are reduced and licensees would have fewer opportunities to seek out less stringent licensing rules. For example, currently in Greater Manchester there are 10 licensing authorities. However, under the proposals, this would be reduced to just one licensing authority.
These proposals form part of the Government’s response to Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which highlighted the issue of ‘out-of-area’ working and recommended more rigorous statutory standards for local authority licensing and regulation of taxi drivers.
Under the new rules, the Transport Secretary would have the power to introduce national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing.
This would see all drivers subject to robust checks and would mean passengers can feel safe in the knowledge that their taxis and PHVs meet strict national standards, no matter where they are in the country.
