TfL defends big ride-hail operator licensing approach amid calls for greater transparency from London Assembly
- Perry Richardson
- 7 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Transport for London (TfL) has pushed back against criticism of its private hire operator licensing process while acknowledging limits in current legislation, responding to a recommendation from the London Assembly Transport Committee’s investigation into the Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan.
The Committee called on TfL to strengthen transparency and robustness in operator relicensing by exploring additional conditions such as data sharing, engaging more closely with Assembly members and driver groups before licences are granted, and publishing licence conditions immediately after approval. The recommendation followed concerns that major licensing decisions are often taken with limited visibility for drivers and stakeholders.
In its response, TfL said private hire operator licences are governed by the Private Hire Vehicles (London) (Operators’ Licences) Regulations 2000, which set out standard conditions that apply to all operators and are publicly available. TfL said these conditions exist primarily to safeguard passenger safety and provide consistency across the sector.
TfL said it already considers licence applications on a case by case basis and can apply additional conditions to individual operators where appropriate, particularly for larger operators. These bespoke conditions, TfL said, are designed to be lawful, proportionate and relevant, with operators retaining the right of appeal if they believe conditions are excessive or unjustified.
Assembly presses for stronger scrutiny of private hire operators and clearer licence conditions
The authority confirmed that it does take representations from interested parties into account when assessing applications, including submissions from the Transport Committee and organisations representing drivers. However, TfL stopped short of committing to a formal pre-licensing consultation process with Assembly members or trade bodies.
TfL also highlighted a structural constraint within the current legal framework. Under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, licence conditions cannot be altered once a private hire operator licence has been granted. With licences lasting up to five years, TfL said this can significantly delay the introduction of new safety or compliance requirements, in contrast to the taxi licensing regime where conditions can be applied immediately.
As a result, TfL said it is asking Government for legislative changes to allow conditions to be amended mid-licence across the private hire sector. TfL argued this would improve public safety, create parity with taxi licensing and allow new standards to be implemented without waiting for renewal cycles. The authority said it also intends to publish individual operator licence conditions in future to improve transparency.
The recommendation made sits alongside wider calls from the Committee for greater oversight of private hire operators, particularly large app-based platforms. Whether legislative reform is delivered will determine how far TfL can go in tightening operator controls and addressing long-standing concerns from the licensed trade.
