Department for Transport set to open reform workshops aimed at changing cross-border hiring
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a number of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) reform workshops in June and July to hear your views.
The announcement was made by the DfT’s Head of Buses and Taxis, Buses and Taxis Division Catriona Henderson saying:
“As you are aware, in September 2018, the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing report recommended that Government change the law to stop taxis and PHVs carrying out journeys entirely outside their licensed area (often called “cross-border” or “out-of-area” work). In the Government’s response to the report, we committed to look at how this change might work in detail, with a view to legislating.
“These workshops aim to give local authorities, taxi and PHV operators and other interested stakeholders an opportunity to share their views on how that proposed change to the taxi and PHV system could work.” The DfT said that the workshops will also provide an update on early thinking about the other commitments the Government made in the response to the Task and Finish Group’s report, including the introduction of national minimum standards and national enforcement powers including:
increasing the size of the geographic area in which journeys must start and/or finish (e.g. mutual recognition and adjoining areas), possible flexibilities (e.g. multiple licences),
exemptions for vehicle types or services; and enforcement of the out-of-area requirements.
The DfT said the workshops are aim to give, amongst other groups, taxi and PHV operators an opportunity to share their views on how that proposed change to the taxi and PHV system could work.
