I was so fixated on other stuff here that on first skim through this I didn't notice the inconsistency in terminology here - of course, I suppose everyone brushes over the generic use of 'taxi' when it comes to cross-border Wolves PHVs, but the inconsistency is most obvious in the likes of the highlighted paragraph.
Anyway, as per usual I suppose the numbers here are in the right ballpark, but the stats are specifically about *badges*, presumably. So strictly speaking the fact that the drivers' addresses are in Portsmouth doesn't actually confirm where they're operating. The could be operating on the Isle of Wight, say, or even back in Wolverhampton
In theory, at least.
And in strict terms the badge holders aren't *operating* either - it's the person or entity with the operator's licence who's doing the operating, and not individual drivers, surely?
Anyway, in substantive terms there's nothing particularly new here, and Portsmouth has featured a few times before with this sort of stuff.
And the usual Wolverhampton boilerplate in response, except maybe the highlighted paragraph is a bit newer than the other stuff?
122 Wolverhampton-licensed taxis operating in Portsmouth, FOI reveals
https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/polit ... ls-8830318
Data highlights widespread cross-border licensing and local safety concerns
Portsmouth has 122 Wolverhampton-licensed taxis and private hire vehicles operating in the city, Freedom of Information (FOI) data has revealed.
Portsmouth City Council (PCC), its members and leadership, have raised concerns about the number of taxis and private hire vehicles licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council (CWC) operating in the city.
Councillors argue Wolverhampton’s cheaper and simpler licensing process is encouraging local drivers to obtain licences there through cross-border licensing.
Portsmouth requires taxi drivers to be at least 21 years old, have held a full driving licence for two years, pass English language and driving tests, complete safeguarding training and undergo enhanced DBS checks every six months.
Licensed vehicles must also be fitted with CCTV, with footage retained for 31 days. In Wolverhampton, driving tests are only required for hackney carriage drivers and CCTV is optional.
FOI data obtained by The Local Democracy Reporting Service shows there are currently 122 Wolverhampton-licensed taxi and private hire drivers with a PO1 to PO6 postcode.
In total, between 2019 and 2026, there have been 708 Wolverhampton-licensed drivers with a PO1 to PO6 postcode.
During the same period, there were 2,318 suspensions and revocations involving Wolverhampton-licensed drivers operating outside the West Midlands.
A report published by Imagine Portsmouth in 2024 shows there are 1,242 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles in Portsmouth, comprising 200 hackney carriages and 1,042 private hire vehicles.
Councillor Richard Adair, chair of the licensing committee, said: “Portsmouth City Council prioritises public safety and enforces strict taxi licensing standards, including CCTV and local knowledge tests.
“However, current national legislation allows taxis licensed elsewhere, such as Wolverhampton, to operate in Portsmouth if booked through a licensed operator.
“This frustrates our ability to apply local safety standards. We strongly support changes to national rules that would give our council the power to ensure all taxis operating in our city meet the high standards we set to protect our residents.”
Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of the council, wrote to the secretary of state in April this year, raising concerns over “the trend of some authorities becoming large‐scale national licensing hubs; most notably Wolverhampton City Council licensing drivers who overwhelmingly operate elsewhere; further demonstrates the need to re-establish a fair, safe, and accountable system.”
He called for national reforms including a single taxi licensing database, mandatory CCTV in all licensed vehicles, rules requiring journeys to start or end in the licensing authority’s area, and stronger enforcement powers for local councils.
In response, the Government plans national taxi licensing standards, stronger enforcement powers, a national licensing database and is considering mandatory CCTV and wider licensing authorities.
A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: “Safeguarding is our number one priority in taxi licensing. As previously stated, we welcome any measures or changes to law from Government to help tackle this issue.
“We lead the way nationally on using technology to help with safeguarding, including being the only council to do daily DBS checks on all drivers and the first council to offer driver licence checks by smartphone. We implement the government’s statutory standards and best practice guidance.
“We also have officers out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public.
“We again stress that it is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live. Under the current law, applicants can apply to any licensing authority.
“It is also illegal for us to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences issued. We do not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ringfenced for spend only on related activities.
“We have been asking for some time for the law to change to ensure there are uniform national standards, uniform fees and greater cross border enforcement powers – and we are pleased to see that Government has already made changes to the law to start tackling this.”
Councillor Emily Strudwick, former licensing committee chair, added: “These figures raise serious questions about Wolverhampton’s licensing model. When one authority is licensing thousands of drivers who predominantly work hundreds of miles away, it is inevitable that local accountability and effective oversight become much harder.
“The public should have confidence that the authority issuing licences is capable of properly supervising those it licenses.
“Portsmouth should always keep its own licensing regime under review and strengthen it wherever the law allows. More importantly, the Government must close the loophole that allows drivers to be licensed in one part of the country and work almost exclusively in another.
“The Casey Report highlighted the importance of robust taxi licensing and safeguarding following the grooming gangs scandal. We owe it to those victims to ensure convenience never comes before public safety.
“The overwhelming majority of taxi drivers are honest and hardworking, but protecting women, children and vulnerable people must always come first.”
