Blackburn with Darwen Council has confirmed that taxi drivers will have to retake a practical driving test every six years under new rules aimed at improving public safety.

Until now, cabbies were only required to pass a test when first applying for a licence. The updated policy, which comes into force on 1 January 2026, means drivers will need to complete the test at every other licence renewal.

A three-year taxi or private hire licence currently costs £220, and those who fail the 45-minute test—carried out by Diamond Advanced Motoring—will need to pay £90 to retake it. The test includes driving on a variety of roads, two manoeuvres, and an element of independent driving.

The council says the change brings local requirements in line with DfT best practice guidance, which recommends training or assessments at first application and at each renewal, typically every three years.

However, the decision has sparked criticism from drivers and councillors who say their concerns were ignored.

Councillor Muntazir Patel, who represents Shear Brow and Corporation Park, said consultations with drivers were “not taken into account” and branded the move “unfair and undemocratic.”

“Licensing proposed that all taxi drivers take a practical test at every badge renewal,” he said.

“In the consultation, 96 per cent of drivers who responded voted against it.

“Later, the council changed it to every other renewal and took it straight to the committee without any further consultation — and it still got approved.

"What’s the point of a consultation if drivers’ views are ignored?”

Cllr Patel questioned the safety rationale behind the move, arguing that if such tests were necessary, similar requirements should apply to bus and other passenger service drivers. He suggested that awareness and behaviour courses would be a “more beneficial” approach.

According to the council, 1,312 taxi and private hire drivers, along with the police and the local trade associations, were invited to take part in the consultation between August 13 and September 24, but only 165 responses were received—a 12.5 per cent response rate.

Following the consultation, the council’s Licensing Committee met on October 13 and unanimously approved a revised version of the proposal, reducing the frequency of the tests from every renewal to every other one.

Councillor Jim Casey, chair of the Licensing Committee, defended the policy as a balanced step toward maintaining safety standards.

“The DfT has issued best practice guidance for local authorities in relation to taxi licensing, including how often drivers should undertake practical assessments,” he said.

“Currently, in the borough, a test is required when a taxi driver first applies for a licence and not thereafter.

“Since we do receive regular complaints from the public about the standard of driving by taxi drivers, we hope this is a step in reassuring the public that their safety is important to us.”

The new policy will be reviewed every five years to assess its impact and continued suitability.

In response to the decision, David Lawrie, Director of NPHTA has written to Andy MacNea Labour MP for Rossendale and Darwen: "Good evening Andy, As MP for BwD council, this is within your remit. This decision is unlawful and wide open to appeal or judicial review and will be very costly not only for the council and the council tax payer, but also the elderly, the infirm, the SEN kids, and the night time economy.

"This needs to be called in and removed before challenge, and they need to be quick in doing it, as NPHTA, we will be advising members and local trade how to take legal redress against this."

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