Welsh Labour presses new government to revive taxi and private hire vehicle Bill as region faces cross-border licensing concerns
- Perry Richardson
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates has called on the new Welsh Government to revive plans for a taxi and private hire vehicle Bill after the proposed legislation was left out of the First Minister’s initial law-making programme.
Speaking in the Senedd on 14 July, Skates said he had expected the programme announced by First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to include legislation covering the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.
The previous Welsh Labour Government developed proposals through a White Paper intended to modernise taxi and private hire vehicle regulation across Wales. The work included measures designed to address cross-border hiring, where drivers and vehicles licensed by one authority operate mainly in another council area.
Skates told the Senedd: “Another Bill I’d hoped to see in today’s statement was a taxi and private hire vehicles Bill, which, as many Members will know, was developed as a white paper under the Welsh Labour Government.”
He said the legislation would have provided a framework to regulate the sector and tackle cross-border activity, which he described as “particularly prevalent in Cardiff and Newport”.
Cross-border hiring has become a major concern for licensing authorities and locally licensed operators. Councils can enforce licensing conditions against vehicles and drivers they license, but their powers over taxis and private hire vehicles licensed elsewhere can be more limited.
The issue can create practical difficulties for compliance inspections, safeguarding checks and enforcement action when a vehicle works a considerable distance from the authority responsible for its licence.
Skates argued that the need for legislation had increased since the White Paper was published. He said: “Since the White Paper, the need for this legislation has only increased. There’s no doubt about it.”
He also pointed to advances in vehicle and booking technology as another reason for the Welsh Government to review the regulatory system.
“We now live in an age of rapidly evolving technology, particularly with regard to automation, that will fundamentally change how people across Wales work, how they travel and therefore how they use taxis and private hire vehicles,” Skates said.
He added: “This legislation, I believe, will only become more relevant and necessary as the pace of change continues to increase, and I’d urge the Government to give this matter close consideration.”
The First Minister did not directly respond to the taxi and private hire vehicle proposal during his reply to Skates. His statement covered the Government’s first phase of legislation, understood to span roughly the first 18 months of the Senedd term, while leaving open the possibility of adding further Bills later.
Rhun ap Iorwerth said the programme would remain dynamic and that new legislation could be introduced through government proposals, Senedd committees or individual Members.
The absence of a firm commitment leaves the future timetable for taxi and private hire vehicle reform uncertain. The industry will now be watching for any indication that the Welsh Government intends to revive the White Paper, amend its proposals or pursue cross-border enforcement changes through another route.
