Posted on the 24th September 2026 in PHTM News

HARTLEPOOL COUNCIL KEEPS YELLOW TAXI COLOUR POLICY

Hartlepool Borough Council licensing chiefs have voted to keep the town's hackney carriages fully yellow following a public consultation earlier this summer.

The review was triggered after Blueline Group raised concerns that the requirement to respray vehicles yellow creates "prohibitive" costs for newer vehicles.

Blueline, which operates across the North East, asked the council to allow partial markings in approved designs or colours, particularly to help them transition to fully electric vehicles.

Blueline boss David Wilson stated that full colour compliance costs would "affect that investment," warning that a full respray could reach up to £2,000.

However, council research suggested the cost would be closer to £350, and councillors questioned the company's figures.

Cllr Matthew Dodds argued that the price of a respray is minimal compared to the overall expense of introducing a new electric fleet, stating: “It feels very much like something they don’t want to do.”

He added: “We have a heritage in this town of yellow taxis. London has the black cabs, New York has the yellow with black and white.”

During a meeting on Wednesday, 23 September, the Licensing Committee overwhelmingly rejected the requested changes after a survey showed 418 out of 491 respondents supported keeping the town's cabs yellow.

Blueline had previously argued the survey "failed" because it did not ask specifically about partial livery or electric vehicles. Despite this criticism, councillors defended the current rules and stressed that public protection remains their primary goal.

Cllr Carole Thompson said: “Our taxi drivers want them yellow, the public wants them yellow. We’ve done our due diligence, we have done our consultation. I think we just say ‘no we’re staying as we are’.”

She also noted that the yellow colour is well known by passengers as a sign of an authorised taxi, while Cllr Sue Little added: “We’re Hartlepool and we are proud of our yellow cabs and I vote we keep them.”


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