Taxi ‘out of area working, national standards and enforcement’ all being considered by DfT says transport minister

The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed plans to legislate on taxi and private hire ‘out of area working, national standards and enforcement’ are all being considered.

Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said the department will bring forward legislation aimed at addressing inconsistent driver licensing standards across England. She outlined that options under review include tackling out-of-area working, creating national standards, and improving enforcement powers.

According to the minister, any changes must avoid reducing the availability of vetted, licensed drivers, as this could unintentionally encourage passengers to turn to unlicensed or illegal operators.

A consultation is expected shortly to explore moving all licensing duties to local transport authorities. The proposal would see licensing administered over wider geographical areas, potentially improving consistency, reducing boundary issues, and ensuring licensing income is more effectively linked to compliance and enforcement work.

The DfT is also reviewing how local authorities apply current statutory guidance and whether further strengthening is needed. All licensing bodies in England have confirmed they already require enhanced DBS and barred list checks for drivers. Greenwood added that ministers will hold local authorities to account where safeguarding-related recommendations are not being followed.

For the taxi and private hire sectors, the plans signal an intent to streamline regulation and close cross-border gaps. A move towards larger licensing areas could bring more coherent oversight, improving enforcement while making standards easier to apply consistently.

However, ensuring smooth transition in driver licensing will be key. The DfT has highlighted the need to maintain driver availability throughout any changes, suggesting that reforms will be implemented with caution to avoid administrative delays or unintended impacts on workforce numbers.

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The trade will now await further details of the consultation, which is expected to outline how local authorities, drivers, and passengers can contribute to shaping the next phase of England’s taxi and private hire licensing framework.

Greenwood said: “The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in the report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We are considering all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.

“We intend to consult shortly on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. Administering taxi and private hire vehicle licensing over larger areas could greatly increase consistency in standards across England, reduce out-of-area working and result in a better match between licensing revenue and compliance and enforcement burdens.

“We are also reviewing licensing authorities' compliance with existing DfT guidance and considering how the statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. As part of this work, all licensing authorities in England have reported that they require the highest level of criminal background checks for taxi and PHV driver licence applicants – an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with a check of the children’s and adults’ barred lists. Where other recommendations are not being followed, particularly those linked to safeguarding, we intend to hold authorities to account.”