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Driverless ‘Robo-cab’ petition passes 1,000 signatures as taxi trade campaign gathers support
- Perry Richardson
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
A parliamentary petition seeking to stop the commercial introduction of driverless taxis has exceeded 1,000 signatures as concern grows within the taxi and private hire trade over the potential impact of autonomous vehicles.
The petition, created by Thomas Freitas of the Private Hire & Taxi Driver’s Network, had attracted 1,067 signatures at the time of publication. It opened on 10 August 2026 and will close on 10 February 2027.
Campaigners want the Government to prohibit fully driverless passenger transport services and prevent operator licences or equivalent permits from being issued to businesses seeking to provide them commercially.
The petition claims autonomous services could threaten the livelihoods of more than 400,000 licensed private hire and Hackney carriage drivers. It argues that employment protection and passenger safety should take priority before driverless taxis are permitted to operate.
Reaching 1,000 signatures does not trigger formal parliamentary action, but it marks early progress towards the first official threshold. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to receive a Government response. At 100,000 signatures, it would be considered for debate in Parliament.
The campaign comes as Britain moves towards the commercial piloting of automated passenger services. Companies can apply to operate controlled passenger-carrying pilots, including services without an onboard safety driver, under the Automated Passenger Services permitting scheme.
Applicants must satisfy requirements covering the vehicle, automated driving system, cybersecurity, operational management and passenger service. Taxi and private hire-style pilots in England require a permit issued by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency on behalf of the Transport Secretary, together with consent from the relevant local transport authority.
The wider regulatory structure established by the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 is expected to be fully implemented during the second half of 2027. It will assign legal responsibility for automated driving to authorised corporate entities and introduce continuing safety and operational duties for driverless vehicle operators.
Drivers remain apprehensive because removing the person behind the wheel would remove the human labour on which more than 400,000 licensed livelihoods depend. Many drivers have made substantial financial commitments to vehicles, insurance, licensing and compliance while operating on tight margins. They fear that even a gradual rollout could reduce available bookings, place pressure on fares and leave existing licence holders carrying investments that autonomous fleets do not share.
There are also concerns about safeguarding, accessibility and passenger care. Taxi and private hire drivers routinely assist disabled and elderly customers, respond to vulnerable passengers and manage incidents that require human judgement. The trade wants evidence showing how driverless services would provide equivalent support before commercial operations expand.
The Government has presented automated vehicles as an opportunity to improve road safety, attract investment and widen access to transport. The petition’s progress indicates that ministers will also face mounting pressure to address job displacement and the practical effect on the existing licensed trade.
