MPs debate safeguards for taxi and private hire jobs as self-driving ride-hail era edges closer

A Westminster Hall debate on connected and automated vehicles turned squarely to the question on many drivers’ minds, jobs. MPs pressed ministers on how the technology will be introduced while protecting today’s taxi and private hire workforce.

Labour’s Sarah Coombes, who led the debate, said full automation remains decades away and urged reassurance that mass redundancies are not imminent. She told MPs that professional drivers do more than drive, from supporting vulnerable passengers to keeping order on buses and protecting loads in freight. Tulip Siddiq raised immediate concerns about licence renewal delays that threaten drivers’ income, calling for current systems to work while future ones are built.

Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said self-driving services are intended to complement, not replace, existing transport. He stressed that traditional driving roles remain vital. Early deployments will be small in scale and any taxi or private hire-like pilots will require local licensing authority consent, including consideration of the right mix of automated and human-driven services in each area.

The Minister confirmed the Government’s aim to implement an automated passenger services permitting scheme from spring 2026. That scheme is designed to enable tightly controlled commercial pilots, including services without an onboard safety driver, subject to meeting a safety threshold and local approval. He added that Waymo has signalled intent to bring automated passenger services to London next year, subject to safety and consent requirements.

Lightwood said: “In terms of this being a complementary form of public transport, self-driving vehicles are not about replacing current forms of transport, but about complementing and improving. There was some concern about potential job losses and impact on the taxi industry. I think the initial deployments under the pilots are likely to be pretty small in scale.

“Where a taxi or private hire-like service is proposed, local licensing authorities will need to give consent to the permitting of those services. That may include consideration of the right mix of automated and other services in their area.”

Coombes cited Government estimates that the automated vehicle sector could add £42 billion to the economy by 2035 and create around 38,000 jobs. She argued that job creation in software, assurance and operations should be captured across the UK’s regions, with the West Midlands well placed given its automotive base. MPs from across the House backed a national approach so towns and coastal communities are not left behind.

Join us on WhatsApp here

Shadow Transport Minister Jerome Mayhew supported the direction of travel but pressed for urgency on secondary legislation. He asked for timelines on rules for data sharing with insurers, cyber security obligations and the detailed statement of safety principles promised in the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. Clarity, he said, will underpin investment and help the public understand liability and safety.

Accessibility ran through the debate. Lee Pitcher said autonomous passenger services can be transformative for disabled and older people if designed with users from day one. That means co-development on booking, boarding and in-journey support. Lightwood said recent consultations have taken evidence from accessibility groups and that guidance for pilots is in development, with a panel of experts to shape requirements.

Public trust was another theme. MPs asked for transparent performance data, robust incident logging and strong rules on marketing so only vehicles meeting the self-driving threshold are presented as such. Coombes pressed for action on cloned and ghost plates, arguing that number plate regulation must be tightened as vehicles become more connected. The Minister said options are being considered to strengthen the number plate supplier register and that on-road enforcement remains a police matter.

For drivers weighing the near-term impact, the political message suggests full automation remains some way off. Pilots will be limited and locally consented. Human-led taxi and private hire services continue to be needed, while new roles are expected to grow in safety, operations and maintenance as the technology beds in. The test now is whether ministers can move quickly on the detailed rules that give certainty to workers, operators and the travelling public.