CROSS-BORDER REFORM: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor backs shift of taxi licensing powers to mayoral authorities
- Perry Richardson
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, has called for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing powers to be transferred from local councils to mayoral combined authorities, arguing the existing framework is no longer fit for purpose and is driving standards down.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government dated 23 December, Bristow said the regulatory system governing taxis and PHVs had “well and truly passed its used by date” and was failing both passengers and drivers. He said the proliferation of individual licensing authorities had created “unacceptable local variations” in vehicle quality, emissions, accessibility and safety.
Bristow argued that cross-border licensing in particular had encouraged a race to the bottom. “With ‘cross border’ licensing, these local variations have been a means of driving down standards to a lowest common denominator, rather than encouraging best practice,” he wrote.
Under current legislation, hackney carriages can only operate in the area where they are licensed, while PHVs can be licensed by any authority and work anywhere in England. Bristow said this imbalance had broken the link between operators and the communities they serve. “The link between operators and the areas they work in has well and truly been lost,” he said, adding that the situation “needs to end”.
Paul Bristow has written to ministers calling the current taxi and PHV licensing system outdated, adding his support to Andy Burnham’s push for regional control
The mayor pointed to Wolverhampton as a prominent example of how the system has evolved. The council has become the largest taxi licensing authority in England outside London, with around 50,000 licensed drivers, despite the vast majority living and working elsewhere. Bristow said this illustrated how regulatory shopping had become embedded in the market.
Bristow said he was working with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to press ministers for legislative change through amendments to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. He said the aim was to enable regional licensing bodies that could apply consistent standards and limit extensive out-of-area operation.
“As the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, my authority stands ready to act as a new regional licensing body to implement new, higher, and consistent standards across all of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough,” he wrote.
The letter also addressed concerns about efficiency and capacity within the current system. Bristow said a regional approach would reduce delays and administrative inefficiencies, noting that some councils had struggled to deliver timely licensing and testing services. He said he had worked closely with drivers, operators and passengers and believed there was broad support locally for a move to regional licensing.
The Government has not yet responded publicly to the proposals. Any change would require primary legislation and could face resistance from councils keen to retain licensing powers, as well as from operators who benefit from the flexibility of the current system. However, growing pressure from metro mayors suggests taxi and PHV regulation could become a significant test case for the next phase of English devolution.
