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Private hire vehicle numbers ROCKET by 20% outside London while national taxi fleet continues to shrink, latest DfT stats show
- Perry Richardson
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
The number of licensed private hire vehicles operating outside London has climbed to approximately 196,600 after increasing by 20% in two years, according to the latest Department for Transport figures.
The growth recorded between 1 April 2024 and 1 April 2026 was substantially higher than in London, where the PHV fleet increased by just 1% to 93,300 vehicles.
Across England, the total number of licensed PHVs reached 290,000, representing a 13% increase since 2024. PHVs now account for almost 85% of the country’s 342,300 licensed taxi and private hire vehicles.
The expansion contrasts with a continuing contraction in the licensed taxi fleet. England had approximately 52,300 taxis as of 1 April 2026, down 7% from 2024.
Taxi numbers fell at the same rate inside and outside the capital. London’s licensed taxi fleet declined by 7% to 13,700, while the number operating elsewhere in England dropped to 38,600.
The figures continue a longer-term shift in the composition of the licensed passenger transport market. The DfT said PHV numbers inside and outside London have risen substantially since around 2015, while the number of licensed taxis has fallen.
Driver licensing data reflects the same market movement. England had 296,800 PHV-only driver licences in April 2026, an increase of 13% from 2024. Taxi-only driver licences fell by 11% to 30,400.
There were also 84,700 dual taxi and PHV driver licences, up 9%, while the total number of licensed drivers across both sectors increased by 9% to 417,300. London moved against the national trend, with its total driver licence count falling by 2% to 120,900.
The number of licensed PHV operators in England increased by 17% to 18,900. London accounted for approximately 1,800 operator licences, an increase of 6% compared with 2024.
Wheelchair accessibility also moved in different directions across the two sectors. The number of wheelchair-accessible taxis fell by 8% to 28,000, while wheelchair-accessible PHVs increased by 15% to 6,400. Despite that growth, taxis continued to provide the majority of wheelchair-accessible licensed vehicles.
Overall, England had approximately 342,300 licensed taxis and PHVs in April 2026, 9% more than in 2024 and 85% more than in 2005. The number of driver licences reached 417,300, also up 9% from 2024 and 72% higher than in 2005.
