Stafford Council expands taxi colour options under revised council policy
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Hackney carriage drivers licensed by Stafford Borough Council will now be permitted to use black vehicles as well as white, following a change to long-standing rules aimed at addressing delays in vehicle availability.
Previously, hackney carriages in the borough were required to be white, with no alternative colours permitted unless the vehicle was a London-style cab and received special written approval. However, under the revised Taxi Licensing Policy for 2025–2030, black vehicles will also be accepted as hackney carriages.
The change is one of several amendments included in the updated policy, which was approved by the council’s cabinet ahead of implementation from mid-September 2025. During consultation with the local taxi trade, concerns were raised about difficulties sourcing white vehicles, with waiting times of up to 15 months in some cases. The council recognised that maintaining a single permitted colour was becoming a barrier for new and existing drivers looking to licence replacement vehicles.
Allowing black vehicles, which are more readily available and commonly used across the industry, is expected to ease supply issues and support the borough’s efforts to retain and grow its licensed hackney carriage fleet.
The new colour provision applies specifically to wheelchair-accessible hackney carriages. A further linked policy incentive will allow proprietors of these vehicles, once they have licensed a wheelchair-accessible hackney carriage for eight consecutive years, to switch to a saloon-type vehicle if they choose to remain in the trade.
While the white or black colour requirement remains in place, all other colours remain excluded unless prior written approval is granted. Private hire vehicles continue to be barred from being licensed in white or black, ensuring a visual distinction between the two types of service.
The updated policy also includes wider changes to licensing rules, including measures to reduce vehicle emissions and phase out petrol and diesel-only cars from the licensed fleet by 2030. All newly licensed vehicles from April 2028 will need to be electric, hybrid, or hydrogen-fuelled.
The council says the changes aim to modernise the trade while supporting public safety and the borough’s carbon reduction goals.
