Manchester Battles Surge of Out-of-Area Licensed Taxi Drivers

Private Hire Licensing Loopholes Raise Safety and Fairness Concerns in Manchester

A growing concern over private hire licensing practices has prompted Manchester leaders to call for urgent reforms. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has launched a campaign urging the UK government to introduce national legislation preventing private hire drivers from operating in areas where they are not licensed. This comes amid complaints that many drivers are exploiting regulatory differences by obtaining licences from councils with lower fees and less rigorous requirements.

Burnham’s call follows reports that nearly half of the private hire vehicles operating in Manchester are licensed by authorities outside the region, particularly Wolverhampton. The inconsistency in standards among licensing authorities is seen by many as a risk to public safety and a threat to local taxi operations. This issue has sparked discussions about the need for a standardized approach to private hire licensing across the UK, as outlined in a proposal for a more consistent regulatory framework to address cross-border taxi hiring here.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Association, expressed his concerns:

"In some authorities, it's very easy to get a licence, and in others it's not, and so the less reputable elements will go and get a licence in the easiest area and then come and work somewhere else."

Aqeel Arshad, an operator at Manchester-based Street Cars, described the current licensing environment as chaotic:

"Drivers go where is easiest, it's perfectly legal, they don't want to go through the extra testing in Manchester."

He further highlighted the disparity in application fees, noting that a licence in Wolverhampton costs £89, compared to £254 in Manchester.

Sham Raja, from the Manchester branch of the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, criticised the impact on local drivers:

"We have been flooded, they do not follow the rules or regulations, and now there is no work in the city centre."

He added that drivers should remain within their licensed regions, pointing to mounting frustration among Manchester’s private hire community.

This ongoing issue reflects a wider national challenge in regulating private hire operations, as local authorities continue to follow varying standards for licensing, safety checks, and driver training.