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GMB Union calls for stronger taxi and private hire driver rights as Government prepares national licensing reforms
GMB Union has called on the Government to ensure its proposed national taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing standards include stronger rights and protections for drivers, following ministers’ response to a major parliamentary inquiry report examining the sector.
The trade union welcomed the opportunity to engage with ministers over the proposed changes but warned that raising professional standards must be accompanied by improvements to the protections available to those working across the taxi and private hire industry.
The comments follow the Government’s formal response to the House of Commons Transport Committee’s report, Raising the standard: licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles, which examined licensing inconsistencies, passenger safety, enforcement arrangements and the future regulation of the industry in England.
Ministers have confirmed plans to develop national licensing standards intended to establish greater consistency between authorities, alongside proposals to modernise taxi and PHV legislation.
Responding to the Government’s position, Eamon O’Hearn, GMB National Officer, said: “The Government’s response identifies a number of proposals to lift driver standards via updated national standards.
“GMB believes any new national standards must also contain increases in driver rights and protections too.
“Ministers have committed to engaging unions and other stakeholders in this process and we look forward to bringing our members voices to those discussions.”
The union’s response introduces a further consideration into the licensing reform debate, with attention turning to whether the Government’s proposed framework will address working conditions alongside regulatory obligations.
The Government’s proposals are expected to examine national requirements covering driver suitability, safeguarding, training, accessibility and other licensing conditions.
These changes could create more consistent expectations for drivers and licensing authorities, particularly where existing local requirements differ significantly between council areas.
However, GMB’s comments indicate that the union wants the reform process to consider the position of drivers themselves, rather than concentrating exclusively on the standards they must meet to obtain and retain a licence.
That could become important as ministers develop the detailed scope of the proposed legislation and accompanying national standards. Taxi and PHV drivers operate under a range of business arrangements, including self-employment, traditional taxi ownership models and app-based private hire platforms.
Questions surrounding employment status, working conditions and the responsibilities of operators have also featured in wider discussions about the future of the sector.
National licensing standards would primarily establish requirements for drivers, vehicles and operators. Any additional measures covering employment rights or working conditions would need to be considered against the legal powers available to ministers and the scope of the proposed legislation.
The Government has also acknowledged concerns surrounding out-of-area working, where drivers obtain licences from authorities outside the areas in which they predominantly operate.
Ministers have stated that drivers should ordinarily be licensed where they carry out most of their work, although they have not committed to introducing a statutory requirement enforcing that principle. Proposed changes to enforcement powers and the geographical structure of licensing authorities are also being considered.
The Transport Select Committee Chair, Ruth Cadbury MP, has separately urged the Government to produce a plan addressing the problems that large-scale out-of-area working can create for local accountability and public confidence.
