The cost of operating a taxi in Liverpool is poised to increase for the first time in over a decade, as the city council moves to raise licensing fees and implement tighter restrictions on vehicle advertisements. 

The proposed changes come amidst concerns over a significant number of private hire licences being granted to drivers with Liverpool postcodes by Wolverhampton Council.

Currently, a single-year hackney carriage or private hire driver's licence in Liverpool costs £60, or £150 for three years. The city council is now proposing to increase these fees to £75 for a year and £180 for three years. 

According to committee documents, a "full calculation exercise" was conducted, and the proposed increase is considered minimal, with officials stating it will have "very little impact on licence holders and customers." 

The report added that the figures are "comparable with core cities so it is highly unlikely that many private hire drivers and licence holders will be motivated to license themselves elsewhere."

The move also addresses a growing trend revealed by a Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council, which disclosed that in 2024 alone, 479 private hire driver licences and 695 private hire vehicle licences were issued to applicants with Liverpool postcodes. These vehicles are now a common sight when booking journeys in Merseyside through apps such as Uber.

In recent years, Liverpool has seen a decrease of 131 hackney carriage drivers, while the number of private hire drivers has surged by an additional 1,063. Since 2021, there has been a 92% increase in new private hire operators across Liverpool, totalling 77.

In addition to fee hikes, committee members will be asked to approve new rules regarding vehicle advertising. While commercial advertising will generally be permitted, new conditions will prohibit the promotion of e-cigarettes and gambling.

These proposals will be considered by the general purposes licensing committee next week. If approved, they will mark the first increase in taxi licensing fees in Liverpool since 2011.

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A man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for a terrifying knife-point robbery of a taxi driver and a separate assault on an elderly man in St Ives. 

Adam McDonnell, 30, of no fixed address, received the sentence at Cambridge Crown Court on May 14, along with an extended five-year licence period.

The court heard details of a harrowing incident on December 13, when McDonnell attacked a 53-year-old taxi driver parked in London Road, St Ives, just before 7am. McDonnell held a knife to the driver's throat, demanding money. 

He then forced the driver into the rear of the taxi, stole his mobile phone and cigarettes, and again threatened him with the knife while demanding more cash. As the victim raised his hands to protect himself, McDonnell began slashing his hands.

The quick-thinking driver managed to tell McDonnell there was money in the boot. When McDonnell exited the vehicle to look, the driver locked himself inside. Enraged, McDonnell smashed the car windows to regain entry and ultimately stole £250. 

The driver then escaped and ran to a nearby house for help. Police later located McDonnell hiding in the loft of a nearby home, still wearing his blood-splattered clothes.

In a separate incident on September 3, McDonnell, wearing a balaclava, assaulted an 85-year-old man sitting on a bench in Berman Park, St Ives. He punched the man in the face and stole his drone. McDonnell was later arrested in the town centre with the stolen drone in his backpack.

Detective Constable Kieran Wickens, who investigated the cases, stated: "The taxi driver genuinely feared he was going to be stabbed to death in his taxi."

McDonnell pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a knife in a public place. A charge of grievous bodily harm with intent will lie on file. Police described both victims as having a "terrifying experience" at McDonnell's hands.

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A Sleaford self-employed taxi driver, Enus Karim, has permanently lost his licence to operate, concluding an extended legal battle that saw North Kesteven District Council's decision to revoke his licence upheld by both the Magistrates and Crown Courts.

The saga began in October 2023 when Mr. Karim was initially issued a hire driver licence despite having three speeding convictions. 

However, in June 2024, after committing two more speeding offences on consecutive days at the same location, North Kesteven District Council’s General Licensing Sub Committee deemed him "no longer a fit and proper person to continue to hold his Hire Driver Licence due to his propensity to speed and therefore put passengers and other road users at increased risk," and subsequently revoked his licence.

Mr. Karim challenged this decision, first appealing to Boston Magistrates’ Court in December 2024, where his appeal was dismissed and the Sub Committee's decision upheld.

Undeterred, he launched a further appeal to Lincoln Crown Court, which was heard on May 2, 2025. The Crown Court judge again dismissed his appeal, firmly endorsing the council’s actions and the processes taken under their Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

As a result of the court's ruling, Enus Karim is no longer licensed to operate as a taxi driver and has been ordered to pay the council's costs of £800 for the two appeals he initiated.

Cllr Mark Smith, whose remit includes licensing and public protection, welcomed the court's decision, stating: "The primary purpose of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing is public safety. It is rare for taxi appeals to progress to the Crown Court, so it is satisfying that the current policy, and the way it is implemented, have been endorsed by both the Magistrates and Crown Courts." 

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