‘REFORM IS NECESSARY’: Institute of Licensing calls for taxi and PHV reform in Transport Committee inquiry response
- Perry Richardson
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
The Institute of Licensing (IoL) has urged the Government to bring in national reform across the taxi and private hire sectors in its response to the UK Transport Committee’s ongoing inquiry.
The Committee is examining how well current licensing rules support local authorities in regulating safety, accessibility, and service quality. It is also gathering evidence on issues such as cross-border licensing, the rise of digital platforms, enforcement limitations, and the long-term impact of autonomous vehicles.
The IoL’s submission is said to draw on input from licensing officers, legal experts and industry figures. It presents a case for change, pointing to outdated laws, regulatory inconsistencies, and enforcement challenges that make it difficult to uphold public safety and fairness for legitimate operators.
One of the key issues raised is the continued problem of cross-border hiring, where drivers licensed in one area operate regularly in another with fewer checks or oversight. This, according to the IoL, undermines the ability of local authorities to enforce standards and protect the travelling public.
The response supports national minimum standards for both drivers and vehicles. This would include adopting the Department for Transport’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards across all licensing authorities in England and Wales. It also recommends closer police and authority data sharing, better use of technology for compliance, and consistent application of driver suitability assessments.
The inquiry is seen as a key opportunity for Parliament to assess how effective current licensing frameworks are and whether central Government should step in to create more consistent and robust regulation.
The Institute’s response reinforces the widely held view across the sector that piecemeal reform is no longer enough, and that national standards are needed to raise and equalise expectations across the country.
Paul Adams, Iol Chief Executive, said: “The IoL has submitted it’s written evidence to the Transport Committee to support its view that reform of taxi and private hire licensing is necessary and to highlight areas of particular concern or where improvements will have the most benefit.
“The IoL’s interest is in achieving effective and proportionate licensing regimes which deliver the intended outcomes while minimising the burdens on regulators and industry.”
