Perry Richardson

A new parliamentary petition is calling on the Government to prohibit commercial driverless taxis and other autonomous passenger services amid concerns that the technology could displace more than 400,000 private hire and Hackney carriage drivers. The petition was created by Thomas Freitas of the Private Hire & Taxi Driver’s Network (PHTDN) and published recently on 10 August 2026. It will remain open until 10 February 2027. Freitas is asking ministers to prevent operator licences from being...

Transport for London (TfL) has stopped short of agreeing to publish a list of private hire companies that exclusively use London-licensed drivers and vehicles for journeys undertaken within the capital. Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari OBE asked Mayor Sadiq Khan whether TfL would identify companies operating entirely to London’s licensing standards, even where those businesses also hold operator licences issued by authorities elsewhere in England. The proposal was intended...

Belfast-based fonaCAB has acquired two of Banbridge’s longest-established locally owned taxi firms, expanding its presence in the County Down town. Q Cabs Banbridge and Bann Taxis announced separately that their independent operations had ended and that fonaCAB would take over their services. Financial terms and other details of the transactions have not been disclosed. Q Cabs said the acquisition brought its 29-year history to a close. The operator thanked its drivers, office staff and...