CROSS-BORDER SCALE: Driver licensing delays mount for two biggest taxi and private hire licensing authorities
- Perry Richardson
- 16 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Two of the UK’s most prominent taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing authorities are facing significant delays in processing applications. City of Wolverhampton Council and Transport for London (TfL) are both dealing with high numbers of drivers waiting for licences or renewals, prompting frustration across the industry.
In Wolverhampton, private hire drivers say the wait times for renewals have reached a level where many are unable to legally work. Some drivers are reporting gaps in cover between temporary extensions and formal licence renewals, leaving them unable to accept jobs and losing income. The Wolverhampton Taxi and Private Hire Federation recently held a meeting to discuss potential action, with members highlighting inconsistent communication and a reliance on interim measures instead of resolving the backlog.
According to reports Wolverhampton is handling a vastly disproportionate share of private hire applications compared with neighbouring areas. Between January and May 2024, the authority issued more than 8,500 new private hire licences, accounting for nearly nine in ten of all such licences in the East and West Midlands. This is almost five times more than Birmingham, despite Wolverhampton having a much smaller population.
London’s TfL is also struggling. In early July 2025, its backlog of fully submitted private hire applications waiting for approval grew by over 20 per cent in just eleven days. As of 11 July, 423 fully complete applications were still waiting for sign-off, with a further 1,400 delayed because of missing documents, incomplete medical checks or pending assessments. To keep some drivers working, TfL has issued around 550 short-term licences, but this only serves as a temporary measure.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has launched legal action against TfL, claiming that prolonged delays have caused severe financial and personal harm to drivers. They point to cases where drivers have lost vehicles, homes or the ability to support families due to months-long waits. In one tragic instance, driver Robert Dale died while waiting for his renewal to be processed, with his family citing the delays as a contributing factor.
Why are numbers so high?
Both authorities face a workload driven not only by local demand but also by applicants from other areas. Wolverhampton, in particular, has become a hub for cross-border licensing across the north of England. Drivers are legally able to apply for a licence from any authority in England, and many opt for Wolverhampton due to what haas been a quicker application process and lower costs.
While this approach is legal, it concentrates administrative pressure on certain councils. It also means local drivers may find themselves competing for attention with applicants who have no connection to the area. Safeguarding groups have raised concerns that inconsistent standards between authorities could undermine passenger safety.
TfL’s challenge is slightly different. As the largest licensing body in the UK, it processes tens of thousands of applications annually. Staffing shortages, IT system issues and the added complexity of daily DBS checks and new medical requirements have compounded its delays. The combination of increased compliance demands and a large applicant base has led to processing times stretching into months.
When high volumes work against you
A large applicant base can offer financial and operational advantages, but when systems become overloaded, those numbers quickly turn into a disadvantage. The economies of scale are lost, replaced by bottlenecks, slower turnaround times and growing frustration among drivers.
In both Wolverhampton and London, the current situation suggests that sheer scale is no longer an asset. Even with digital systems and streamlined processes, there comes a point where volume outpaces the ability to maintain quality and timeliness.
Is capping numbers an answer?
At present, licensing authorities in England cannot impose numerical caps on the number of taxi or PHV licences they issue. Wolverhampton officials have been clear they cannot refuse an application based solely on the applicant’s residence. They also point out that they do not profit from licence fees, which are set to cover costs only.
However, industry voices are increasingly asking whether aligning licence numbers with local passenger demand could help balance workloads and improve service for drivers. A demand-based cap might not only relieve administrative pressure but also ensure that local licensing teams can focus on maintaining standards and safeguarding checks.
Such a change would require legislative reform, but with two of the country’s biggest licensing authorities struggling to cope, calls for a rethink are growing louder.
