Mayor of London updates on plans for private hire vehicle taskforce to improve driver welfare
- Perry Richardson
- 36 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Mayor of London has confirmed plans to establish a new private hire vehicle taskforce, with the first meeting anticipated in the first quarter of 2026, following questions from Labour London Assembly member Elly Baker.
Responding to the written question, the Mayor said the commitment formed part of his election manifesto and was intended to examine “what can be done to further support private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers in London”. He described the PHV sector as “central to the functioning of the city” and said its workforce “deserve fair, stable and safe working conditions”.
The Mayor said concerns had been raised through ongoing engagement between the industry, Greater London Authority and Transport for London. These discussions have highlighted a range of welfare-related issues affecting drivers.
In his full response, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said: “Through their ongoing engagement with the Greater London Authority and Transport for London, PHV drivers, representatives and operators have raised concerns about priority issues affecting driver welfare, including for instance access to toilet and rest facilities.”
Taskforce bringing together drivers, operators and regulators expected to convene for the first time in early 2026
To address these issues, the Mayor confirmed he is “establishing a taskforce to bring together key stakeholders from across the PHV industry to collaboratively address the challenges and opportunities facing the sector”.
The taskforce is expected to include representatives from across the private hire market, potentially covering drivers, operator firms and public sector bodies. No further detail was provided on membership and governance or whether outcomes would feed directly into policy or regulatory changes.
The Mayor added: “I anticipate that the taskforce will meet for the first time in the first quarter of 2026.”
The update comes as private hire drivers in London continue to raise concerns over working conditions and facilities available to them.
