Posted on the 4th November 2026 in PHTM News
SOUTH TYNESIDE COUNCIL SCRAPS LOCAL ROUTE KNOWLEDGE TEST
South Tyneside Council has removed the requirement for new hackney carriage and private hire driver applicants to demonstrate their knowledge of local roads and routes, prompting criticism from some existing taxi drivers.
Under the changes, applicants will no longer have to answer questions about the quickest or most efficient routes around the borough, with the council arguing that modern sat-nav technology makes this element of the test unnecessary.
However, the knowledge test itself has NOT been abolished. Applicants must still demonstrate their understanding of council bylaws, relevant legislation and the Highway Code.
Existing licensing requirements, including safeguarding training, criminal record checks, medical assessments, driving licence and right-to-work checks, will also remain.
Ken Wood, 73, a taxi driver and former South Tyneside Alliance Group councillor, has described the decision as a “disgrace”.
He argues that drivers should know their local area without relying entirely on satellite navigation and fears that passengers could face unnecessarily long journeys and higher fares.
He also raised concerns about increasing numbers of drivers coming into the borough from elsewhere in the North East who may be unfamiliar with local roads.
Three Reform councillors, Karen Pittuck, Jason Diamond and Chris Fox, have backed the decision.
Cllr Pittuck said the removal of the local route element was a sensible and proportionate change, reflecting the widespread availability of sat-nav technology and bringing South Tyneside into line with other councils in the region.
Cllr Diamond argued that outdated requirements should not be retained simply because they have always existed, while Cllr Fox said removing unnecessary barriers could benefit both hackney carriage and private hire drivers without compromising passenger protection.
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