Taxi Driver Online

This is quite an astute parliamentary question, and to an extent the answer is pretty predictable. But it's deflection, basically. The simple answer is that an 'operating base' has little real meaning these days, and hasn't had any since the days when only landlines were available.

(And I don't know the existing case law on what was happening before apps and clouds etc, but I'd guess the minister's answer is deflecting even in that regard...)


Connor Naismith
Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance she provides to local licensing authorities on what constitutes an operating base for private hire operators; and whether the Department has assessed the adequacy of existing definitions in the context of app-based operator models.


Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Labour MP for Nottingham South

No guidance has been issued on this matter. An ‘operating base’ is not defined in law. All guidance is kept under review and the need for any amendments or additions considered. The Department consulted on revised best practice guidance in 2022 and it was subsequently updated in 2023.

The licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need.

Came across that via Taxi Point, and this is their analysis of what was said:

[...]The lack of a statutory definition presents operational challenges for both regulators and operators. Historically, an operating base has been understood as a fixed location where bookings are accepted. That assumption has been weakened by app-based firms that dispatch vehicles remotely, often without a single identifiable premises tied to a specific licensing area.

This ambiguity contributes to ongoing inconsistency across England’s fragmented licensing system. Local authorities retain discretion in how they interpret requirements, while enforcement becomes more complex in cases where bookings are accepted digitally and journeys are carried out across multiple jurisdictions.[...]

For operators, particularly those reliant on app-based dispatch models, any future definition could affect licensing structures, compliance obligations and geographic operating strategies.

For local authorities, the absence of clear legal footing is likely to sustain varied approaches to enforcement until further reforms are introduced.

https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/gover ... -fragmente

It does beg the question as to why we need them then.

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IDFIMH