Commissioner convenes partners to strengthen taxi safeguarding across Lancashire
- Perry Richardson
- Jan 24
- 3 min read
Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, has convened licensing and sector partners for the first meeting of a new countywide Taxi Working Group, aimed at strengthening safeguarding standards across the local taxi and private hire sector.
The group, chaired by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, brings together licensing officers from Lancashire’s local authorities alongside representatives from MPs’ offices, the University of Central Lancashire and the Chorley Taxi Association. It has been established to share best practice, address safeguarding challenges and improve consistency across district licensing regimes.
Its formation follows a countywide survey conducted as part of the Commissioner’s work on Violence Against Women and Girls, which identified transport and taxi use as a significant area of concern. The 2025 survey gathered responses from more than 4,000 women and girls across Lancashire, providing one of the largest local evidence bases on perceptions of safety in licensed transport.
According to the findings, 43% of respondents reported feeling unsafe travelling in a taxi at night, while 64% said they felt unsafe waiting at taxi ranks. Safety concerns were not limited to night-time travel, with 30% stating they felt unsafe using taxis during the day. In addition, 42% of respondents believed statutory agencies could be doing more to improve safety when using taxis.
New countywide taxi working group formed as survey highlights safety concerns for women and girls
Discussions at the inaugural meeting focused on current safeguarding pressures faced by licensing teams, including enforcement capacity, information sharing and managing risks linked to cross-border hiring. Participants also examined innovative approaches already being deployed in parts of the county, as well as opportunities to align standards more closely between districts.
The group also considered engagement with the Department for Transport as part of its ongoing taxi and private hire licensing consultation. Members discussed how national reform could support local authorities in tackling safeguarding risks more effectively, particularly where vehicles and drivers operate outside the area in which they are licensed.
National policy context formed part of the discussion, following the publication of the Casey Report, which called on the Government to close the out of area licensing loophole and strengthen taxi and private hire standards to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people. The Government has since accepted all 12 of the report’s recommendations, signalling further regulatory change ahead for the sector.
Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls remains a central priority within the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan. In recent months, £177,000 seized under proceeds of crime legislation has been reinvested into 38 local VAWG prevention projects across Lancashire. This has been accompanied by the launch of the #GetTheMessage campaign, a behaviour change initiative aimed at tackling what are often described as low-level harassment and abuse.
The Taxi Working Group is expected to meet regularly, with a focus on translating survey findings and national policy developments into practical changes for licensing authorities and operators across Lancashire.
Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, said:
“My priority as Police and Crime Commissioner is to work with partners across Lancashire to increase safety for women and girls. Driver standards in the county remain high, but we know there is more to do. My Office is committed to working with police and local authorities to ensure robust safeguarding training is in place. Unlicensed drivers continue to pose the greatest risk, and I would strongly urge the public to always check that the taxi they are using is legitimate.
“This inaugural meeting marks the first step in developing a more consistent approach across Lancashire, helping customers understand the differences between private hire vehicles, hackney carriages, licensed taxis, and fraudulent drivers.”
