Taxi Driver Online

Slightly odd article - first half is mostly stuff that's been in previous articles. Then the local input, but the article feels like it comes to a juddering halt before it all gets going.

And all that stuff about how it all used to be so happy-clappy, and that everyone knew every one else before you-know-what...

I suspect this just means that local trade bigwigs ( ) knew all the drivers because they were on their circuits rather than on someone else's.


'We used to know every driver' - Taxi association boss backs Government review on out-of-town Uber licences

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/we-used-to-k ... es-5485871

A Chorley taxi boss has backed Government plans to tighten up the way licences are issued to Uber drivers.

In the last five years, the City of Wolverhampton Council has tripled the number of private hire vehicles it has licensed, a practice that is legal. It means that Uber drivers can get a licence in one area, but operate mainly in another.

Now, the Government has launched a consultation into tackling inconsistent standards of taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) driver licensing. They said: “With evolving technology, people now book services more flexibly, but safety and reliability remain key priorities. All authorities must only grant licences to those who are fit and proper to hold one, or if the vehicle is safe to carry the public. Despite this, out-of-area working, where drivers license in one area but work elsewhere, is a major challenge.

“While most drivers are law-abiding and simply seeking efficient entry into the sector, this practice complicates enforcement and raises concerns about inconsistent licensing standards across local authorities.”

The consultation comes after the The Casey Review, issued in November 2025, proposed new standards to strengthen safety and protections for passengers in taxi and PHVs. It was as a result of an audit by Baroness Casey into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which was published in June 2025.

It has also been revealed that 17 allegations of sexual assault or rape were reported against Wolverhampton-licensed private hire drivers in a three-month period of 2025, according to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request conducted by the BBC. None of the alleged sexual offences took place within Wolverhampton, the FoI confirmed, and the City of Wolverhampton Council told the BBC "safeguarding is our number one priority in taxi licensing".

Chorley Taxi Association

The move to look at out-of-town licences has been backed by Chorley Taxi Association (CTA), who last year raised concerns with Chorley Borough Council about the importance of residents being able to easily check whether a taxi and driver are properly licensed. Following those discussions, online vehicle and badge checks were reinstated, giving the public a way to verify taxis before travelling.

Shaz Malik, founder of the CTA, urged for speed in the process, saying: “Women, young girls, and vulnerable people needed protecting now, not at some future point after further consultations.”

He added: “Councils like Chorley apply higher safeguarding standards, but drivers can simply get licensed 100 miles away and then return to work in local towns and villages. It doesn’t make sense and undermines public confidence.”



Many drivers licensed in Chorley have been serving the town for decades, with some working locally for more than 40 years. Momed Esa, a director of CTA said that familiarity once provided an important layer of safety for residents. He said: “There was a time when people knew all the drivers in Chorley and if a taxi from outside came into town it stood out, which itself acted as another layer of protection for local people.”

Martin Downer, Director of Helping Hands Chorley, said the community needed to do better to protect people and that a line had to be drawn. He said: “Report after report highlights the same issues involving out-of-area taxis and that continuing to ignore those warnings is no longer acceptable.”

Check a licence

Residents are encouraged to check taxi licences before they use a service. Click here for more information on how to do this in Chorley.

The link at the end is a bit odd as well - I was expecting the usual stuff about plate colours, pre-booking PHVs and checking badges etc, but it's actually a link to the online licensing register.

So probably about as much use as a chocolate teapot to the average reader of the Lancashire Post