Posted on the 19th January 2026 in PHTM News

PURE GREED UTTLESFORD TAXI DRIVERS LASH OUT AT PROPOSED LICENCE FEE HIKES

Local taxi and private hire drivers have reacted with fury to Uttlesford District Council’s plans to increase licensing fees for the second consecutive year, with one driver branding the move “utterly ridiculous and pure greed.”

The council argues that the increases are necessary to prevent a potential shortage of drivers and to ensure the licensing department remains financially viable.

However, a recent consultation has revealed deep-seated resentment within the trade, as drivers struggle with rising operational costs.

Out of 18 formal responses to the consultation, the majority expressed fear that the new costs would push drivers out of the industry.

One driver noted that the added expense, combined with surging insurance premiums, was “looking more like a scam.”

For part-time workers, the impact is particularly acute. One home-to-school driver claimed: “Having to pay to go to work is absolutely ridiculous... The fees would put us in a financial negative.”

The proposed changes would see:

  • Three-year driver licences rise from £250.20 to £259.00.

  • Five-year operator licences increase from £539.84 to £556.00.

  • Annual vehicle licences jump from £161.27 to £167.50.

Despite the backlash, the council maintains that the law requires the licensing service to be self-funding.

A spokesperson stated: “The proposed fees have been brought forward to ensure the licensing service can continue to operate on a cost?recovery basis, as required by law.”

Addressing the trade's concerns, the council added that they remain “committed to working constructively” with drivers and that all feedback will be reviewed by the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee next week.

However, some drivers remain cynical about the consultation process, with one respondent noting the fees seem “disproportionately higher than necessary, although once you've made your mind up, it's done.”


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