Where to start with this? A ton of potential talking points
No time just now. But, I mean, Sefton wondering why they're experiencing more cross-border applications?
](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
Absolutely no mention of the historical perspective and that Sefton was effectively the cross-border capital years before Wolverhampton came to the fore.
And at a rough guess I'd say that the current upsurge is due to, er, 'ride-hailing'
Sefton flooded with taxi driver applications from outside borough
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... s-34175084
The council is now experiencing the highest level of demand ever for the licences
Sefton has seen a large increase in the number of taxi drivers applying for licences, but only half of applicants are based in the borough. The council is experiencing the highest level of demand ever for the licences, councillors heard at a recent meeting.
At a Sefton Council Licensing and Regulatory Committee meeting earlier in June, principal licensing officer Mark Toohey said around 50 new drivers apply each week and that the number of knowledge tests applicants have to take is also increasing to cope with demand. The council is at a loss as to what is behind the surge.
By April 1 this year, the total number of live taxi licences was 12,957 compared to 10,958 on the same day last year.
Half of those being granted new licences are from outside the Liverpool City Region.
Some 4,109 knowledge tests have been offered to applicants in the past year, compared to 1,165 in 2024/5. The pass rate was 58%, and 993 people did not attend their test, although they will have paid the £50 application fee regardless.
Committee chair Cllr John Kelly noted: “We’ve actually made a few bob out of that then, haven’t we?”
Documents published this week show that in May, Bootle One Stop Shop offered 480 tests, with 142 people failing to attend and 220 people passing and securing a Sefton licence.
At the scrutiny committee meeting, Cllr Dominic McNabb, who represents Thornton and Hightown, asked why there has been a rise in the number of applications, and if it means revenue is up with regards to this area of the council’s responsibilities.
Mr Toohey confirmed there is more money, and said the authority’s reserve fund was looking “fairly healthy”. Extra staff are being recruited to deal with applications.
He said he does not think people apply for licences in Sefton because of the price, which is broadly in line with neighbouring boroughs.
However, he added he believes Sefton is seen as an “efficient” borough when it comes to processing applications, which perhaps makes it an “attractive” place to apply for a licence.
Currently a private hire vehicle driver can operate anywhere in the country, and there are taxis with a Sefton licence plate as far away as Brighton. This is different to the rules for black cabs, which must operate within the local authority area where they are licensed.
Since February, the council’s enforcement team has carried out nine operations at Liverpool Airport, Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly to monitor licensed vehicles, with 205 cars inspected. Some 40% of these vehicles (82) had a defect which led to a suspension or defect notice being issued.
These figures come after it was revealed last year how almost 500 private hire licences were granted to drivers with Liverpool postcodes by Wolverhampton Council in 2024. In the same year, 96% of all taxi licences issued in the West Midlands city were outside of their own jurisdiction.
Earlier this year, the Department for Transport (DfT) launched a consultation on the future of taxi licensing. Officials said out of area working had become a “real challenge.”
Mr Toohey noted that as Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham had called for changes that would restrict drivers to the area where they are licensed, but he said previous attempts to implement a similar scheme in Knowsley were not successful.
He added the council cannot refuse to consider applications, no matter where the driver is based.
The Local Government Association, which represents councils across the country, has previously raised concerns about out-of-area working, suggesting it limits authorities’ ability to safeguard their communities, and in its Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Bill, the government stated: “Without a closer match between where licences are issued and where journeys take place, enforcement activity and resources remain misaligned, limiting effectiveness and undermining public confidence.”
