Mayor calls on Government for stricter taxi and private hire regulation

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called on the Government to issue tighter regulations for taxis and private hire cars.

The call comes as Transport for Greater Manchester say that outdated legislation alongside new technology and business models "are causing growing problems on the road."

Mr Burnham said "Around 32 million trips are made in taxi and private hire vehicles in Greater Manchester and I want every one of those journeys to meet the same, high standard.

"Public safety needs to come first. But for a variety of reasons, the taxi and private hire trade is becoming increasingly problematic - not just locally but across the country."

Currently private hire drivers can operate in the Greater Manchester area despite being licenced in other areas with less stringent standards.

He added "I’m calling on Government for an urgent regulatory review so we can tackle the growing problem of 'out of town' drivers - with lower driver and vehicle standards and no local knowledge - picking up fares in Greater Manchester.

"At best this means a poor customer experience - and at worst, it can mean real customer safety issues."

Feedback from people who give their views in Greater Manchester will be used to support the introduction of a common set of minimum standards.

So far, all Greater Manchester authorities have committed to adopting the standards when issuing taxi and private hire licences.

Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, Councillor Allison Gwynne, said "By and large we already have good licence standards across Greater Manchester, but we want to set a common, minimum standard for every company and driver licensed by our ten local authorities.

"We want to hear what the public's experience is now and what they want for the future.

"That includes people who may not currently even use taxis or private hire due to safety concerns. This feedback will be crucial in helping us tackle any problems head on and guarantee safer journeys."

Night-time economy advisor Sacha Lord said "Taxis play a crucial role in helping people get around our city region and in supporting the night time economy.

"As you'd expect, Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest times for residents using taxis and private hire vehicles - and a third of all these trips are made by younger women.

"It's critical from a safety point of view that we make sure all drivers and their vehicles meet a common standard, so everyone can catch a cab with confidence."

Each of the ten Greater Manchester District councils are expected to consult with taxis, private hire operators and drivers about changes to their individual licencing standards later this year.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority are due to consider a report outlining the proposed approach to the introduction of common minimum standards on 27th July.

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