Posted on the 22nd August 2025 in PHTM News

TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER LICENCES PLUMMET IN NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME

The number of taxi drivers licensed in Newcastle-under-Lyme has dropped by 47% in the last five years, a decline that local officials attribute to "licence shopping" by drivers seeking less stringent regulations. 

Since the council introduced its current taxi licensing policy in 2019, the number of registered drivers has fallen from 1,020 to 546. The number of private hire vehicles licensed by the council has fallen from 600 to 385, while the number of hackney carriages has gone down from 194 to 127. 

According to a report presented to the public protection committee, the decline is a direct result of the borough council’s tighter rules compared to other authorities.

Under the current system, drivers can obtain a licence from one council but still operate in another, a loophole that committee members believe "punishes" authorities with higher safety standards.

Licensing lead Matthew Burton told the committee: "We've decreased nearly 47 per cent in terms of drivers, which really is a significant amount, when other authorities are having such large increases."

He explained that while the council stands by its comprehensive standards, applicants are going to other authorities for licences and then returning to operate in Newcastle.

"There are some local authorities that have very high standards and some that have very low standards... and individuals are able to 'licence shop'," Burton said.

"We've been told on multiple occasions that licence holders leave the authority and new applicants won't apply because our standards are too high."

The council is now preparing its response to a government consultation on national licensing, which could introduce uniform standards and put an end to this practice.

Councillor Rupert Adcock added: "We effectively have a system that punishes local authorities that have higher safety standards and rewards those with lower standards, and that's just not right.

"In our response to the consultation, we should set out the minimum standards that we want."

The committee also approved an updated taxi licensing policy, which will take effect in January.

Following public feedback, the council decided against a proposal to remove door livery from taxis, a move that would have made it difficult to identify licensed vehicles.

The new policy will instead update rules on vehicle criteria and the knowledge test for drivers.


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