Portsmouth councillors agree on push to tighten rules on out-of-area private hire drivers
- Perry Richardson
- Jul 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 29
Portsmouth City Council is considering new rules to ensure all taxis and private hire vehicles operating in the city meet its own safety standards, regardless of where they are licensed.
The move follows an alleged incident in which a woman from Baffins was harassed by a driver in a Wolverhampton-licensed private hire vehicle. Unlike Portsmouth-licensed vehicles, the car did not have in-car CCTV, which is mandatory under local rules. The case has revived long-standing concerns about cross-border taxi operations.
At a recent licensing committee meeting, councillors backed proposals aimed at looking to close the safety gap created by national licensing laws. Councillor George Madgwick said that licensing loopholes had become a “massive” issue, with many councils now trying to find ways to protect residents.
Cllr Madgwick proposed that companies such as Uber and Veezu should only be allowed to use vehicles in Portsmouth that meet local requirements, including CCTV and stricter background checks. He called for the power to suspend or revoke operator licences if firms fail to comply.
He referenced Baroness Louise Casey’s national review into grooming gangs, which called for a ban on out-of-area taxis. The Government has since said it plans to take action on the issue.
Councillor Jason Fazackarley supported the proposal and asked for a timeline. It was suggested that the council could begin progressing with the changes by November or December this year.
Councillor Darren Sanders proposed amendments to reinforce that every vehicle picking up passengers in Portsmouth should comply with local standards. He also suggested contacting local MPs Stephen Morgan and Amanda Martin to push for national changes.
Earlier this month, Cllr Madgwick wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, calling for urgent reforms. He cited the alleged harassment case and noted that it was not the first incident involving a Wolverhampton-licensed vehicle in the city.
In the letter, he urged the Government to ban cross-border operation, set national safety standards, and give local councils the authority to restrict out-of-area vehicles. He said the problem was not political but about public safety.
The council’s solicitor described the proposal as “interesting” but warned that meaningful reform would need coordination between several local authorities. Without that, he said, any policy might have limited effect.
