Posted on the 27th May 2026 in PHTM News

ABERDEEN SPLIT OVER THE FUTURE OF TAXI KNOWLEDGE TEST

A debate has broken out in Aberdeen over whether taxi drivers should continue to take a traditional street knowledge test, following a major public consultation that left opinions deeply divided.

Out of roughly 1,800 responses gathered by Aberdeen City Council, 45.5% voted to keep the test, while 43.1% argued it should be scrapped entirely. Alternatives, such as creating a modified test or removing it solely for private hire drivers, received minimal support, pulling in just 4% and 7.4% of the vote respectively.

The division highlights a clash between the traditional taxi industry and modern ride-hailing giant Uber. Uber has actively pushed for the test to be axed, arguing that removing it would allow more drivers into the trade and better meet customer demand.

However, local taxi representatives insist the current system is "working" and needs no adjustment.

According to the council's report, those supporting the status quo emphasised the need for "maintaining standards and reducing the reliance on sat-nav technology."

Conversely, those against the test argued that modern technology has made the assessment outdated and viewed it as a "barrier to entering the trade."

While some respondents noted that other cities do not require such tests, council officials clarified that the knowledge test remains standard practice across other major Scottish cities.

The consultation also highlighted public confusion regarding the city's taxi licence limit, which is capped at 1,079, though only 484 drivers are currently licensed.

The report noted a "degree of misunderstanding," explaining that while many people wanted the limit changed to fix the struggle of finding a taxi at peak times, altering the cap would have little impact since current driver numbers are already well below the limit.

While taxi availability has previously been labelled a "real issue," Chris Douglas, director of Aberdeen Taxis, noted a recent rise in driver numbers and reiterated that the system is functioning well.

However, Bob Keiller from the business group Our Union Street suggested the data might heavily reflect industry self-interest rather than public sentiment.

Pointing out that 600 responses flooded in on the very first day, Keiller noted that a previous survey showed about half of the participants were connected to the industry.

 


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