Year on from Casey Report, Unite says cross-border taxi hiring loophole still puts women and children at risk
- Perry Richardson
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A year after the publication of the landmark Casey Report into group-based child sexual exploitation, Unite has renewed calls for urgent reform of cross-border private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing, warning that delays in government action continue to put women and children at risk.
The union’s intervention comes on the first anniversary of the Casey Report’s recommendation that the issue of cross-border hiring should be addressed as part of efforts to strengthen passenger safeguarding and improve accountability within the private hire sector.
According to Unite, ministers have yet to implement meaningful reforms to tackle what it describes as a major loophole in the licensing system. The union is also concerned that proposals being developed by the Department for Transport have been diluted and will not include a “start or finish” rule, a measure it believes is necessary to prevent widespread out-of-area working.
Speaking on behalf of the union, Sharon Graham said: “The government must stop offering weak alternatives and deliver real protections for passengers and drivers.
“It’s been a year since the Casey Report said urgent reforms were needed to stop cross-border hiring and still nothing has happened.
“Both the transport secretary and the transport select committee are full of platitudes about stopping out-of-area working. But Unite is yet to see plans for a start or finish rule that would do that.”
Cross-border hiring occurs when a private hire booking is accepted by an operator licensed in one local authority area, while the journey itself is carried out in a different council area. Critics argue that this can make enforcement more difficult because the licensing authority responsible for the driver may be located many miles away from where the work is actually taking place.
The issue has become increasingly contentious within the taxi and private hire industry, with many local drivers arguing that out-of-area operators can gain a competitive advantage while being subject to different licensing standards and enforcement practices. Local authorities have also raised concerns about their ability to oversee drivers working extensively within their boundaries but licensed elsewhere.
Unite maintains that a start or finish rule would provide the most effective solution. Under such a system, every private hire journey would be required to either begin or end within the licensing authority area where the driver is licensed. The union argues this would restore local accountability, strengthen safeguarding measures and reduce opportunities for regulatory avoidance.
The union also criticised the recent report from the Transport Select Committee, published last week, claiming it failed to include measures that would substantially restrict out-of-area working.
Unite national officer for passenger transport Wayne King said: “It is shameful that the government has failed to implement a key recommendation of the Casey Report, leaving children vulnerable to sexual exploitation and trafficking.
“By implementing a start or finish rule Heidi Alexander has the opportunity to protect young people from criminal gangs out to abuse them. This is the only way to implement the Casey Report’s recommendations and reverse the race to the bottom on passenger safety.”
The debate over cross-border hiring has intensified in recent years as large private hire operators have expanded their ability to dispatch drivers across multiple licensing areas using app-based booking platforms. Industry representatives remain divided on how reforms should be implemented, with some warning that tighter geographical restrictions could affect service availability and operational flexibility.
Unite’s latest comments form part of its “Stand Up For Taxi and Private Hire Drivers” campaign, which seeks to close what it describes as a licensing loophole that enables widespread cross-border hiring and out-of-area working.
