Posted on the 14th November 2025 in PHTM News

PETITION TO SAVE CUMBERLANDS TAXI TRADE TO BE DEBATED BY COUNCILLORS

Cumberland Council's regulatory committee is set to consider a petition aimed at changing the council's new taxi and private hire policy.

The petition, titled "Save Cumberland’s taxi trade," was submitted via Change.org and, as of October 16, 2024, had gathered 1,449 signatures.

However, following verification, a report notes: “Following verification in accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, 430 signatures were confirmed as valid." 

While this number was not sufficient for a debate by the full council, it does fall "within the remit of the regulatory committee," which is scheduled to meet on Monday, November 17, 2025.

The petition raises serious concerns about the proposed regulations, stating: “Some of these regulations would put many small companies out of business and Cumberland would lose more than 200 taxis, whilst there is already a severe shortage in the area.”

It claims the council's proposed limits on vehicle numbers are inadvertently discouraging the purchase of wheelchair accessible vehicles.

"As it stands caps are in place to help us provide more vehicles for the disability community," the petition argues, adding that the new rules make drivers "more inclined to buy a £20,000 normal taxi than a £60,000 wheelchair accessible vehicle which caused there to be fewer vehicles for the disability community."

The petitioners are calling for the council to listen to their concerns, asking: “Our main aim is that the council will listen to our concerns and support us when finally making the new taxi policies.”

The committee had previously agreed on some less stringent policy aspects in January 2025, including "a much-reduced dress code regulations than those which were originally proposed" as well as a fixed penalty scheme for breaches of vehicle licence conditions such as failure to have a valid MOT test.

Members also agreed that no more than 12 points must be accumulated for the length of the licence: three years for drivers and five years for operators.

The current recommendation for the committee members is to note the petition and the verification outcome, consider the issues raised within the petition as part of their wider policy development work, and determine an appropriate response to the petition organiser in accordance with the council’s scheme for submission of petitions.


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