Sarah Spina-Matthews News, Manchester
Mayors across England support a proposed law to ban out-of-area taxi licensing, Andy Burnham has said.
The mayor for Greater Manchester said the “broken” taxi system meant more than half of private hire vehicles operating in the region were licenced elsewhere, posing a safety risk to passengers and making it unfair for locally-licenced operators.
He has called for a clause to be added to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill currently going through parliament.
Burnham said he would propose the amendment to government ministers at a meeting with England’s regional mayors. The Department for Transport previously said it was “considering options to improve the current situation”.
Burnham said: “I’ve got [the other regional mayors’] support, everyone recognises there’s a need for change.
“I want ministers’ commitment to work with us to get that sorted.”
The government previously said it was aware of the concerns and passenger safety was its “top priority”.
A Freedom of Information request has previously revealed more than a third of Greater Manchester’s taxi drivers were registered in Wolverhampton.
Burnham has claimed the main difference in standards related to the age of vehicles allowed, with Greater Manchester councils requiring newer vehicles to be used on the roads as well as more advanced background checks.
However, Wolverhampton Council denied it was “quicker and easier” to get a private hire licence with the authority.
Burnham said the proposed changes would be in line with recommendations about taxi safety in Baroness Louise Casey’s report into group-based sexual exploitation.
“[The report] made the recommendation that public safety on taxis needs to be under local control,” Burnham said.
“We were really pleased she made that recommendation.”
Labour MPs for Makerfield, Josh Simons, and Bury North, James Frith, as well as Liberal Democrat MP for Hazel Grove Lisa Smart have also expressed their support for the amendment, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The has contacted the Department for Transport for further comment.
