
A dramatic rise in taxi licence applications has generated a welcome financial boost for Fareham Borough Council,though it has placed significant pressure on the authority's licensing team.
The surge in hackney carriage applications was highlighted during an Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting on 26 October, where councillors reviewed the local authority’s latest financial performance.
Neil Wood, the council’s financial planning and audit manager, confirmed that income from taxi licensing had risen "well above budget". However, he warned that the sheer volume of work was taking a toll on council personnel.
"Another area where we have an awful lot of income is in the hackney carriage licences, and we are well above budget on that," Mr Wood explained during the meeting. "While this is positive, it is causing some issues in the team with the number of applications that are coming through."
To help manage the workload, council officers have launched a public consultation aimed at altering certain licensing criteria. Officials hope these adjustments will help moderate the volume of incoming requests.
Reflecting on the situation, Mr Wood added: "It is good news on the income side, but from the staffing side it just means that the service is really, really busy."

In a recent interview Khan argued that politicians have failed to grasp the sheer speed of technological change and insisted that TfL must be granted direct licensing powers to cap vehicle numbers. 

Under the new structure, basic flag fall rates will rise: with Tariff One moving from £3.50 to £3.90, Tariff Two increasing from £4.10 to £4.60, and Tariff Three jumping from £5.60 to £6.20. 

Violent passenger, Alexander Hindmarsh, who threatened to stab a cabbie in the face and cut out his eyeballs during a terrifying knifepoint attack has been jailed for more than seven years. 

Taxi Law has published research showing that approximately £1.1bn a year could be raised by applying VAT uniformly to private hire fares across the UK.

A long-serving private hire driver has failed in his bid to regain his licence following an alleged sexual assault, despite assuring councillors that police dropped the case without charge.

Mo Ali, a local cabbie, revealed that the problem has escalated sharply in recent weeks, warning that passengers have been spotted carrying bags packed with counterfeit notes. 

Lindsay Scott appeared before Workington’s Magistrates’ Court, where she formally admitted three separate offences stemming from the events of 31 August. 

The victim was targeted while working on Anchor Road at around 4am on Saturday, 20 September, when a group of unknown individuals hurled racial slurs at him before launching a physical attack. 

Mr Nirupakaran previously faced committee scrutiny in May after receiving nine points on his DVLA licence for striking a pedestrian while driving at night in 2023.

The plans would increase fares by approximately 6% for taxis carrying up to four passengers and 8.6% for larger vehicles carrying five to eight passengers.

A Manchester-licensed Hackney Carriage driver has been fined and handed EIGHT penalty points after illegally accepting a fare outside his licensing area following a Manchester United match.

Working alongside licensing enforcement officers from Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Newport and Wolverhampton councils, officers uncovered a number of licensing and vehicle compliance issues.

The driver was caught by Liverpool City Council enforcement officers during an operation in March.

A Peterborough private hire operator is putting community spirit into action by supporting a lifesaving charity.

No further details have been disclosed about the nature of the allegations, the drivers’ identities or the police intelligence involved.

Applicants will no longer have to answer questions about the quickest or most efficient routes, with the council arguing that modern sat-nav technology makes this element of the test unnecessary.

Joshua Stack, 25, from Stafford, was over the drink-drive limit when his vehicle crossed into the opposite lane in January 2024, colliding with an oncoming Toyota Avensis taxi.

Directors Tom Shanks and Ben Bell say the acquisition is part of a strategy to expand into areas where the company believes its technology, operational resources and experience can strengthen existing local taxi business

The expansion, announced on 3 November, includes major cities such as New York, Paris and Singapore, with further destinations expected to be added.

A North Northants taxi trade rep is demanding answers after figures revealed that the number of licensed Hackney carriages has fallen by more than a fifth since 2022, while private hire vehicle numbers have increased by 
