“LICENSING AUTHORITIES WILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT”: DfT signals tough action for any councils falling behind on taxi safety rules
- Perry Richardson
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Government has warned that councils could face direct challenge if they continue to lag on national taxi and private hire safety rules.
The message follows a parliamentary question from Leicester East MP Shivani Raja, who pressed ministers on why so many local policies still sit out of line with the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards.
Raja MP asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that local authority taxiand private hire licensing enforcement policies are brought into line with the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards.”
Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed her department is now carrying out a detailed review of every licensing authority’s handling of the national guidance. Officials are checking whether councils have acted on the safety measures they were instructed to put in place, including background checks, safeguarding controls and adequate oversight of licence holders.
The Minister stated that where councils have ignored or only partly adopted the key safety measures, the Department will hold them to account. It marks one of the clearest signals yet that the Government expects full compliance and is prepared to intervene where authorities fall short.
Minister Greenwood said: “We are currently reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance issued by the Department on actions they should take on licensing matters including safety. Where key safety recommendations from the guidance are not being followed, licensing authorities will be held to account.”
The Statutory Standards were brought in to set a single approach to public protection. Yet four years on, trade groups and safety campaigners continue to report gaps between councils. Some have taken minimal action, leaving neighbouring authorities operating at a much higher threshold. This has arguably created a patchwork system that undermines national expectations and weakens confidence in local enforcement.
The Government’s review raises the prospect of firmer intervention if councils cannot justify their position. The trade will now be looking for clarity on what consequences non compliant authorities may face and how the Department will ensure consistency across England.
