
Ipswich Borough Council is preparing for a high-stakes discussion this week regarding a government proposal that could strip local councils of their power to license taxis and private hire vehicles.
Under the new Department for Transport (DfT) plans, these responsibilities would be transferred to a local transport authority instead of local councils.
The DfT argues that moving away from individual council control would improve "consistency and speed of licensing" across the board. By establishing a single governing body, officials believe it would ensure all drivers nationwide follow a unified set of regulations, removing the current patchwork of local rules.
While acknowledging these potential benefits, Ipswich Borough Council has expressed concerns that such a shift could lead to the new authority and local government becoming "misaligned." There are fears that a centralised body might lose touch with specific community needs and local safety standards.
The council weighed three possible paths: engaging with the proposal, ignoring the consultation entirely, or drafting an alternative plan. The option to stay silent was quickly dismissed over "fears it would look like the council didn’t care."
Ultimately, the council opted for the first route: active engagement. After ruling out the creation of an entirely new counter-proposal, members decided that responding directly to the DfT's consultation was the most effective way to protect local interests while acknowledging the need for modernisation.

The incident occurred on Stonehouse Street between January 9 and 10, when a thief shattered the vehicle's window to snatch £170 in cash takings.

Portsmouth City Council voted at a Licensing Committee meeting on Friday 20 February 2026 to implement, from the 1st April 2026, mandatory daily walk-around/ pre-use checks on all taxis and private hire vehicles.

The 41-year-old, who owned the Taxi Centre, was discovered with catastrophic head injuries on the driveway of his Dowanhill home nearly 23 years ago.

Mark Doyle, 36, appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court to face the consequences of the September 2024 attack, which saw the driver lose both his earnings and his car keys.

Local taxi drivers, who pay for an annual permit to operate from the official station rank, say the area has become a free-for-all during peak evening hours, leading to congestion and safety risks.

During a licensing committee meeting on February 20, councillors described the presence of these out-of-town cars as "out of control." 

Paul Hartfield, owner of the Flying Horse in Smarden, Kent, had raised over £700 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association by asking for small donations instead of charging fares.

Dominic Dalton, 30, of Pencader, was found guilty of the attack following a five-day trial at Swansea Crown Court. 

Thames Valley Police are searching for a man who exposed his "buttocks and genitals" to a taxi driver in the early hours of February 21.

Deputy Catherine Curtis has proposed updating the Motor Traffic (Jersey) Law 1935, arguing the current wording is "inadequate for effective prosecution" of drivers using unregulated Facebook groups.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, 18 February, in Clayton-le-Woods after a passenger, using the name 'Jamie,' was picked up at Birch Field.

Riyasth Hussain, 45, was convicted of three counts of rape following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.
Marcin Klich, who spent 18 years behind the wheel for Addison Lee, successfully completed the legendary "Knowledge of London" in just over 21 months.

Nazik Sabir was found guilty of failing to use his taximeter and charging more than the metered fareduring a "test purchase" operation conducted by Central Bedfordshire Council in September 2025.

A report presented to the Cabinet on February 17 has called for a formal consultation to update guidelines that have governed the trade since 1996.

The Sunderland Hackney Carriage Operators’ Association (SHCOA) is seeking an average increase of 4.1 per cent across its three main tariffs to help drivers survive a surge in overheads.

Currently, passengers have no guarantee they can pay by plastic, as some drivers in the city still operate on a cash-only basis. 

London black cab fares are set to increase above the rate of inflation in a desperate move to stop drivers from leaving the trade.

Lucy Stolzenberg, 74, was driving four passengers when she ran over 58-year-old Rhian Cassidy in Caerau after failing to realise the figure in the road was a person.

While a recent report suggests the council moves forward with the plan, a public consultation revealed a dramatic split in opinion.
