The knowledge test for Bristol private hire drivers may be axed. First introduced in 1865, the 90-minute Knowledge test requires drivers to learn thousands of routes across the city but a report states that just eight of the 133 people who took the test this year had passed.

Licensing officers are suggesting scrapping this part of the entry exam as the depth of local knowledge required has become a “significant barrier” to people entering the profession and, coupled with the increased reliability of sat nav technology for journeys that are already known in advance,

However, the changes would not affect “the knowledge” for drivers of hackney carriage taxis.

A report to the committee on Tuesday, June 3, said: “Concerns have been raised that sections of the test are no longer relevant. All private hire journeys are pre-booked, and the vast majority of drivers rely on satellite navigation devices.

“As such the current requirement to know the location of certain premises or roads is outdated.

“The level of detailed local knowledge required to pass the test is significant and represents a significant barrier to entering the trade.

“No change is proposed to the format of the hackney carriage knowledge test in light of the fact that they are available for public hire and as such will not always know the destination in advance of the journey.”

The 90-minute test for private hire applicants, which takes place at the council’s offices, comprises 100 questions chosen randomly by a computer.

They must not only achieve minimum pass marks in all 10 categories – four or five out of 10 questions in each – but also answer at least 75 questions correctly overall.

The committee report said DfT guidance was updated in November 2023 to say: “Given the availability, reliability and ease of use of sat nav systems, licensing authorities should not require any topographical knowledge or navigational tests for private hire vehicle drivers.”

The report said: “In light of the DfT guidance and the significant advancements of satellite navigation technology since the test was first introduced, officers recommend that the topographical knowledge sections are removed from the test.”

This would mean applicants no longer needing to know exact locations and routes to clubs, pubs, restaurants, hotels, places of interest or the district of a particular road.

It said the sections remaining in the test would be relating to safety, including child sexual exploitation, general road safety and how to calculate change, policy and legislation, and equality.

The report said these should also be strengthened with a wider range of questions and topics which protect public safety, such as disability awareness, planning routes using navigation devices, conflict avoidance, and what to do if racially abused or being subjected to other abusive comments or hate speech.

It said these areas were supported by the new DfT guidance.

The report added: “Officers consider that the amendments to the private hire knowledge test would make the test more relevant to the trade."

“It would ensure applicants had a good understanding of their role and responsibilities as a licensed private hire driver and therefore ensure the safety of the travelling public.”

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Police have issued a warning to all cabbies after a driver abandoned two drunk passengers by the side of a motorway after being sick in the vehicle.

Thames Valley Police said the inebraiated two were dumped in a refuge bay on the M4 near Reading in the early hours of Sunday after a night out.

Officers were called following reports of two pedestrians on the side of the major road.

The force confirmed an investigation is underway as "it is an offence to allow the public to put themselves in the position of being a pedestrian on the motorway".

They said in a social media post: "If your intoxicated fare ends up being sick in the back of your vehicle, after a Saturday night in town, please don't dump them on the side of the dark motorway!".

Fortunately, the two weren't injured and were taken home by family members, the force added.

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A private hire driver, who claimed he was grabbed by the throat during an unbooked fare, has had his licence revoked by Middlesbrough Council's Licensing Committee.

The decision, made months before his licence was due to expire, stems from what councillors deemed "abusive and threatening" messages, including a "serious threat of sexual violence," exchanged with a female passenger.

The driver, licensed with Middlesbrough Council since May 2024, saw his account suspended by his operator in late January 2025 after taking a direct booking and messaging a female passenger privately.

While the driver alleged the messages began as requests for payment, the council's minutes confirmed they escalated into "abusive and threatening" content.

During an interview with licensing officers, the driver recounted a harrowing incident where a man allegedly "grabbed him by the throat" and forced him to transport a man and woman to an address. He claimed he complied "out of fear" and that the woman provided her number for payment.

He further alleged his phone was later taken and only returned after he drove the individuals to another location.

Despite his claims of being blackmailed and believing he was communicating with a man, the committee found "inconsistencies in the driver’s account of events." They explicitly stated they "did not believe that he thought he was talking to a man rather than a woman" when sending the "expletive" messages.

The committee's minutes state: "The committee believed that the nature and seriousness of the driver’s messages, specifically the threat of sexual violence, was a risk to public safety, and that the driver was not a 'fit and proper' person, therefore, the decision was made to revoke the driver’s licence with immediate effect."

The driver had reportedly not initially reported the alleged "throat grab" incident to the police, citing he was "terrified" of the individuals. While the matter was subsequently reported, it has since been closed with no further action.

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Uber has cemented its return to the Danish market with the acquisition of Dantaxi, Denmark's largest taxi company.

The deal, confirmed by Uber in a statement, will integrate Dantaxi's 3,500 drivers across 75 municipalities into the Uber app, significantly expanding the platform's reach beyond Copenhagen.

Dantaxi, previously owned by investment company Triton since 2018, describes itself as Denmark's largest taxi firm.

The move follows Uber's re-entry into the Danish market earlier this year, after departing in 2017 due to challenging taxi regulations.

"The partnership with Uber opens an exciting new chapter for Dantaxi," stated Carsten Aastrup, CEO of Dantaxi, in a press release.

This acquisition builds upon Uber's existing agreement with Danish taxi firm Drivr, which allowed the ride-hailing giant to operate in Copenhagen by providing its app while Drivr supplied drivers and vehicles in compliance with local laws.

A similar operational model will be applied with Dantaxi, ensuring services adhere to Danish taxi regulations, with journey prices displayed in the Uber app prior to booking.

While the exact cost of the buyout was not disclosed, the acquisition signifies a major strategic move for Uber in solidifying its presence across Denmark.

Dantaxi is expected to continue its current operations, with its drivers seamlessly integrated into the Uber platform for app-based bookings.

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Vertical Aerospace, a Bristol-based pioneer in electric flying taxis, has made European aviation history with the successful piloted "wingborne" flight of its VX4 prototype across the UK countryside.

The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft soared over the Cotswolds last week before performing a conventional landing at a nearby airport, marking a significant stride towards the commercial deployment of this sustainable air travel technology.

The VX4 is designed to revolutionise urban travel, with Vertical Aerospace claiming it will be capable of transporting passengers from Battersea to Heathrow in just 12 minutes.

The company aims for initial flights carrying four passengers up to 100 miles by 2028.

Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, lauded the achievement. "This is a fantastic milestone for Vertical and for the UK's world-class aerospace sector," he stated, adding: "Breakthroughs like this show how government and business can work together to keep the UK at the cutting edge of innovation."

The landmark flight, approved by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) after extensive safety documentation review, follows Vertical's successful piloted hover flight earlier this year.

Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, underscored the importance of this step in their certification journey. "Achieving piloted wingborne flight in open airspace under the oversight of the UK CAA is an important moment in our certification journey," Simpson said.

He highlighted the stringent regulatory framework: "Operating under the UK's rigorous regulatory framework means we share the burden of safety with our regulator – every step must be approved, and that's by design. It amounts to a mini certification of our prototype and gives us a clearer, faster path to type certification."

Chief Test Pilot Simon Davies, who helmed the VX4, expressed his satisfaction with the aircraft's performance. "The firm's performance predictions had been absolutely spot on, and the aircraft took off as a natural extension of all the ground tests and preparation we've done," Davies remarked.

He concluded: "The VX4 was not only safe but was an absolute pleasure."

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