England’s taxi and private hire licensing system does not suffer from a shortage of diagnosis. The Law Commission identified its structural weaknesses in 2014. The Task and Finish Group repeated many of those findings in 2018. Baroness Casey returned to the safeguarding consequences in June 2025. A Department for Transport consultation and a House of Commons Transport Committee inquiry have now arrived at broadly the same conclusion. The system is fragmented, standards vary a

Demand for newer used black cabs has driven prices sharply higher as drivers and fleet operators compete for vehicles in a constrained market, according to a taxi trade market assessment. The buying activity has reportedly intensified following a busy summer, with both individual drivers and fleet owners searching for available cabs. The report said demand had “pushed prices of newer cabs through the roof”, leaving some prospective buyers unable or unwilling to meet asking pr

Would you rather operate in a taxi market where almost any compliant vehicle could be licensed, regardless of colour, age, fuel type or seating capacity, or work in one where every driver used the same exact vehicle model and livery? At one end of the scale is a broadly open vehicle market. Drivers could choose between new and used cars, electric, petrol or diesel models, and vehicles of different sizes. Licensing authorities would retain essential safety and accessibility st