Ipswich Council report backs response to DfT taxi licensing shake-up
- Perry Richardson
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Ipswich Borough Council is set to formally respond to Government proposals that would transfer taxi and private hire licensing powers from district councils to Local Transport Authorities.
A report to the council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee on 25 February outlines a Department for Transport consultation examining whether responsibility for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing should sit with Local Transport Authorities in all areas. The consultation closes on 1 April 2026, with members asked to approve a draft response for submission.
The Department for Transport is seeking views on the principle of moving licensing functions away from district and borough councils to Local Transport Authorities, including strategic authorities where they exist. In areas undergoing local government reorganisation, newly established councils would assume the role until a strategic authority is in place.
Ipswich Borough Council currently acts as the statutory licensing authority for taxi and private hire vehicles. The report notes that licensing has evolved locally, particularly following the Deregulation Act 2015, which removed geographic boundaries for private hire operators and enabled cross-border subcontracting. As a result, operators and drivers licensed by other authorities, including South Cambridgeshire, Colchester and East Suffolk, are working in Ipswich, while Ipswich-licensed drivers also operate outside the borough.
Council committee urged to approve submission to Government consultation on shifting taxi and private hire licensing to Local Transport Authorities
The committee report highlights that taxi and private hire services form an essential part of the local transport system and operate around the clock. Under the council’s corporate strategy, Proud of Ipswich 2023: Championing our Community and Revitalising our Town, the trade is recognised as supporting a thriving town centre and wider transport connectivity.
Three options are presented to councillors: submit the draft response, decline to respond, or amend the proposed submission. Officers recommend proceeding with the draft response to ensure local operational experience, enforcement considerations and governance issues are reflected in national policy development.
The report warns that failing to respond would forfeit the council’s opportunity to shape implementation arrangements, including enforcement, fee-setting and transition, and could be perceived as disengagement on an issue with direct service implications. Conversely, members are advised that submitting a response creates a formal record of local concerns should the reforms later result in adverse impacts.
