Stand Up for taxi and private hire drivers
Cross border hiring is out-of-control. Close the licensing loophole now.
Protect local jobs. Protect public safety.
Take action now - Email your MP
Why MPs must act
The taxi and private hire licensing system in England and Wales is broken. Drivers licensed in one authority can legally operate almost entirely in another.
This has created a national problem of “out-of-area” working and licence shopping, weakening safeguarding, undermining local accountability, and destabilising local taxi trades.
The UK government has been warned about the risks. The independent Casey Report highlighted that inconsistent and fragmented licensing regimes is a public safeguarding risk. But the government has yet to commit to comprehensive reform. We need our MPs to raise our concerns about out-of-area licensing with the government.
Government MUST act
Unite says, the government’s vow to look at a national taxi and private hire standards BUT not outlaw cross border hiring is a massive, missed opportunity. We want the licensing loophole closed.
Our 5 Demands:
- National Minimum Standards for driver vetting, safeguarding, vehicle safety, and operator conduct.
- A Start or Finish Rule – requiring every private hire journey to begin or end in the driver’s licensed area (with sensible exceptions such as NHS and school transport).
- Cross-border Enforcement Powers – allowing local authorities to act against any driver or operator working within their boundaries.
- Stronger Sanctions for repeated breaches and unlawful operating practices.
- Retention of Enforcement Revenue by the authority carrying out enforcement to properly resource compliance.
FAQs: Cross bordering hiring (Taxi and Private hire England and Wales)
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What is cross-border hiring?
Cross-border hiring happens when a private hire booking is accepted by an operator licensed in one local authority, but the journey is carried out in another local authority area. For example: An operator licensed in Crawley accepts a booking at Gatwick going to Brighton, Then the operator takes a booking from Brighton to Southampton that is acceptable.
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Is cross-border hiring legal?
Yes, cross-border hiring is legal in England and Wales under current legislation. This comes from the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, as interpreted by the courts.
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What are the legal requirements for a cross-border booking?
For a cross-border hire to be lawful: 1. The booking must be accepted by the operator licensed by their local authority. 2. The vehicle must be licensed by the same authority as the operator. 3. The driver must be licensed by the same authority as the operator. 4. Known as the triple lock or the three license rule. If all three are licensed by the same council, the journey can take place anywhere in England or Wales.
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Can a driver pick up passengers outside their licensing area?
Yes, but only if the booking was pre-booked through their licenced operator. For example, they can't rank-hail (like a taxi rank) or be flagged down on the street.
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Does this apply to taxis (hackney carriages)?
No, cross-border hiring mainly applies to private hire vehicles. Hackney carriages can only rank-hail and ply for hire within their licensed district. And, they can accept pre-booked work outside their area.
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Can councils stop cross-border hiring?
No, local authorities, cannot ban cross-border hiring outright. They can only regulate vehicles and drivers they license. However, councils can enforce local conditions on their own licensees and lobby central government for law changes.
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Why is cross-border hiring controversial?
Common concerns include: - Different licensing standards between councils. - Enforcement difficulties. - Local congestion and air quality. - Perceived unfair competition. Despite this, it remains lawful until Parliament changes the law.
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Can councils require vehicles to return to their licensed area after a job?
Local councils generally cannot require private hire vehicles (PHVs) to return to their licensed area immediately after completing a job. But local councils do have the power to attach conditions to the licences of private hire drivers.
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Is there any proposed reform?
There have been government consultations, Law Commission reviews and countless calls for national standards. To date, no major legislative reform has replaced the current framework. Which is why our campaign continues.