Burnham Presses Government to End "Broken" Taxi Licensing System
- Safer Highways
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has renewed calls for ministers to stop private hire drivers from working outside the areas where they are licensed, describing the current framework as a "broken system" that puts both livelihoods and public safety at risk.
Burnham is set to meet Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and other ministers on Thursday 4 September to push for an amendment to the English Devolution Bill, which is progressing through Parliament.
Figures show that almost half (49%) of Greater Manchester’s private hire vehicles are licensed by councils elsewhere, with Wolverhampton highlighted as a major source of out-of-area registrations.
“For too long, communities in Greater Manchester and across the country have been at the mercy of a system that allows drivers to operate hundreds of miles from where they are licensed,” Burnham said. “This is not just about fairness for local drivers; it’s about ensuring public safety.”
The mayor pointed to the government’s acceptance of Baroness Casey’s recommendation on licensing reform as proof of the need for urgent change. He argued that the English Devolution Bill offers a clear opportunity for ministers to act.
A Long-Standing Campaign
Burnham has repeatedly pushed for tighter controls on licensing, previously saying he had secured a “firm commitment” from former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to address the issue. His wider Backing Our Taxis campaign, launched in April, calls for a comprehensive overhaul of Greater Manchester’s taxi licensing system.
The campaign also proposes extending VAT exemptions for accessible taxis, retaining the plug-in taxi grant, and reducing VAT on public EV charging from 20% to 5%. An industry-wide engagement exercise attracted more than 5,000 responses.
Cross-party support from local MPs has strengthened Burnham’s case for reform. Meanwhile, Transport for Greater Manchester is preparing recommendations on areas of licensing not directly addressed in the current Bill.