Transport Secretary directly pledges legislative action to ‘close the loopholes’ in taxi and private hire licensing
- Perry Richardson
- 24 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Secretary of State for Transport has confirmed plans to bring in new laws aimed at addressing weaknesses in the current taxi and private hire vehicle licensing system.
The comments came during a House of Commons exchange after Labour MP Catherine Atkinson raised concerns about licensing inconsistencies and passenger safety.
Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said the Government is reviewing how local authorities are complying with current taxi and private hire guidance. She added that legislative steps will be taken to close gaps in the system that allow poor practice to continue.
This renewed focus follows the publication of the Casey Review, which raised serious concerns over the safety of young people in private hire vehicles, particularly in relation to child sexual exploitation. The report pointed to a lack of consistent licensing standards across local authorities as a risk factor. It called for tighter national oversight to stop individuals from exploiting the system.
One of the key issues highlighted is the practice of “out-of-area” working, where drivers licensed in one area, often with less rigorous checks, operate in another where they are not directly regulated.
Labour MP Antonia Bance also pressed the Secretary of State on the need to bring licensing decisions closer to where drivers actually operate. She echoed growing concerns that national standards are needed to stop drivers from bypassing stricter local rules.
Alexander said all options remain under consideration, including restrictions on cross-border working and enhanced enforcement. The Department for Transport is expected to set out a timeline for legislative proposals following further analysis of the Casey report’s recommendations.
Alexander said: “I assure my hon. Friend that we are taking this issue very seriously. We are reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance, and we will hold those who do not follow that guidance to account. We will go further following the publication of Baroness Casey’s review, and we have committed to taking legislative action to close the loopholes in the current licensing regime to achieve higher standards of safety across the board.”
The Transport Secretary added: “Baroness Casey has rightly brought this issue into sharp focus, and as I said to my hon. Friend Catherine Atkinson, we are committed to addressing it. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options, including out-of-area working, national standards and enforcement, in seeking the best overall outcome for passenger safety.”
