Taxi Driver Online

A Unite press release - nothing particularly new here, but they had to get a specific dig in about the Gatwick Airport scenario.

Funny, though, that after months and months of claims and allusions to illegality, they're not actually saying that now


Casey child safeguarding report recommendations must be adopted taxi drivers tell Parliament

https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-even ... parliament

“Out of area” licensing loophole endangering passengers and destroying livelihoods

Taxi drivers will protest outside Parliament on Wednesday demanding the government adopt the Casey report’s recommendation that the ‘out of area’ licensing loophole is immediately closed.

When: 10:00 Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Where: Parliament Square Garden, opposite Parliament, SW1P 3BD

(See notes to editors to arrange interviews with taxi drivers and Unite officials)

Baroness Casey’s audit into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse recommended in June that the loophole allowing taxi drivers to apply for licensing anywhere in the country be closed immediately.

The loophole has created a market for licence shopping, where drivers obtain licences from authorities with the least stringent standards.

For example, Wolverhampton council has issued over 50,000 licences, far exceeding local demand. The vast majority work many miles away from Wolverhampton, well beyond the regulatory reach of the licensing authority.

Unite, which represents both private hire and Hackney drivers, said its members across the country have also long called for the loophole to be closed because:

• Passengers are left with inconsistent safety standards depending on where the driver is licensed
• Local councils cannot enforce the rules on the drivers working in their area
• Local drivers who follow the rules lose work to out-of-area operators
• Big operators, such as Uber, exploit loopholes while local workers and communities pay the price.

The problem is particularly stark at Gatwick Airport, which has struck a sponsorship deal with Uber, even though Uber is licensed by Transport for London, not Crawley Borough Council.

Thousands of out-of-area drivers now work at Gatwick, while local drivers have been pushed out and have had their livelihoods destroyed.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The government needs to take urgent action to close this loophole, which is putting passenger safety at risk and causing untold damage to the incomes of taxi drivers across the country. Ultimately, the only ones to benefit are companies like Uber, which are exploiting the legislation to create a race to the bottom in the private hire car sector.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.

I think if they do their 'let's end cross-border hiring' job properly, then Unite and the GMB could be a force for good with this Labour government.

One can only hope.

_________________
IDFIMH

Another one via Taxi Point...this seems to be some sort of site affiliated to Unite. Pretty predictable stuff, but check out the opening sentence in the strapline - reads like it's all about some kind of illegality (as highlighted in colour) when we've all been round the houses umpteen times about it all. But this framing helps get clicks and signatures, and no doubt has an impact on impressionable MPs etc. And helps with those all-important union subs

But I think if you click on the link and fill in a form with your details then it will automatically send a letter to your MP on your behalf

(And don't forget to read the 400 words of terms and conditions about data protection and the like before you fill in the form )


Tell your MP to Fix Taxi & Private Hire Licensing: Protect Local Jobs. Protect Public Safety.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell- ... ic-safety/

https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uplo ... iament.jpg

Across England, taxi and private hire laws are broken. Out-of-area licensing lets drivers work anywhere in the country — even if they’re licensed hundreds of miles away.

This means:

Local councils cannot enforce the rules on the drivers working in their area.
Local drivers who follow the rules lose work to out-of-area operators.
Passengers face inconsistent safety standards depending on where the driver is licensed.
Big Operators exploit loopholes while local workers and communities pay the price.

At Gatwick Airport, Uber has a sponsorship deal despite being licensed by Transport for London, not Crawley Borough Council. Thousands of out-of-area drivers now work at Gatwick, pushing local drivers out. This is happening nationwide — Gatwick simply exposes the problem.

The independent Casey Report was clear: weak, inconsistent licensing creates real safeguarding risks and undermines public confidence. Yet Government has still not acted, leaving communities and local workers to suffer the consequences.

Unite is campaigning for:

One national set of safety and licensing standards
A “Start or Finish” rule so every job begins or ends in the driver’s licensed area
Stronger enforcement powers for councils
Tougher penalties for repeated breaches
Fine revenue kept locally to fund enforcement

We need Parliament to act now. Will you write to your MP and demand they step in and stop this?