Addison Lee calls for unique 20% booking quota to curb cross-border loopholes in taxi and private hire licensing
- Perry Richardson
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Addison Lee has called for the introduction of booking limits on private hire operators as part of new proposals to address mounting concerns around cross-border hiring.
In its evidence to the Transport Committee’s inquiry into taxi and private hire licensing, the firm said cross-border activity is creating a significant challenge for both enforcement and public trust. It warned that current rules allow operators and drivers to bypass stricter local licensing requirements by obtaining licences from areas with fewer checks and lower standards, then working primarily elsewhere.
The operator is backing an idea to place a cap on the number of private hire bookings that can take place wholly outside an operator’s licensed area. It proposes that a locally determined percentage limit, such as 20%, could help reduce excessive cross-border working while retaining flexibility for operators that need it.
The cap would apply specifically to journeys that begin and end outside the authority where the operator is licensed. Addison Lee argues that this approach would prevent large-scale licence shopping without penalising operators dealing with border-area demand or time-sensitive contract work.
In particular, the company highlights the practical realities of operating near borders, major transport hubs or during disruptions. Situations such as flight diversions, rail delays or large-scale events often result in a spike in demand that crosses licensing boundaries. Addison Lee says a rigid rule such as “all bookings must start and end in the licensed area” would be unworkable in these cases and could risk passenger safety.
To support enforcement of the proposed cap, the firm suggests that operators be required to submit regular reports detailing the origin and destination of bookings. This data would help licensing authorities monitor compliance and take appropriate action if the limits are breached.
Alongside the cap, Addison Lee is calling for a key change in enforcement powers. It wants officers to be able to stop and inspect any licensed vehicle or driver regardless of the authority that issued their licence. Currently, officers are limited to their own licensing area, which makes tackling breaches by out-of-area drivers extremely difficult.
The firm says the cross-border issue is also contributing to inequalities among drivers. Those who meet tougher local licensing conditions are seeing competitors from other areas operate under weaker regimes, yet serve the same customer base. This undermines confidence in the system and puts compliant drivers at a disadvantage.
Addison Lee’s proposals form part of a wider push to bring in national minimum standards for the industry. It believes that only a coordinated, data-backed and enforceable framework can address the inconsistencies created by the current localised approach.
