OUT-OF-AREA WORKING: Weston-super-Mare MP and council leader latest to call for urgent reform on taxi licensing
- Perry Richardson
- Jul 19
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 20
Widespread concerns over taxi and private hire vehicle licensing have prompted a joint intervention from Weston-super-Mare’s MP Daniel Aldridge and Cllr James Clayton, Executive Member for Safety in the Community at North Somerset Council.
In letters sent to Simon Lightwood MP, Minister for Local Transport, the pair call for urgent changes to the licensing system, arguing that the current model is no longer suitable for safeguarding the public. They are pressing for local authorities to be granted powers to enforce taxi standards, particularly in cases involving vehicles licensed outside the local area.
The move comes amid increasing reports of taxis operating in Weston-super-Mare that are licensed hundreds of miles away, including from cities such as Wolverhampton. According to Aldridge and Clayton, these vehicles often bypass local checks, leaving councils powerless to monitor safety or driver suitability.
Their concern has been amplified by the findings of the Casey Review into group-based child sexual exploitation, which identified gaps in the licensing system as a public safety risk.
The pair support proposals in the Government’s English Devolution White Paper that would allow local transport authorities, including combined authorities, to take over responsibility for taxi and private hire licensing. They argue this would help restore trust in local services and enable councils to enforce consistent standards across all vehicles operating in their areas.
They warn that the current loopholes are impacting public confidence, especially among women and vulnerable passengers who feel unsafe travelling at night. Local taxi operators are also being put at a disadvantage, struggling to compete against out-of-area vehicles that are not subject to the same checks.
The call is part of a wider push to ensure any future reforms consider the needs of local communities and focus on safeguarding, local accountability and enforcement powers.
Aldridge said: “No one should feel unsafe in a taxi. That’s why I’ve joined forces with Cllr James Clayton to raise urgent concerns with the Minister for Local Transport about taxis and private hire vehicles licensed outside Weston-super-Mare - especially those from hundreds of miles away.”
