Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the introduction of self-driving taxis on local economies.

The Automated Passenger Services permitting scheme, which was consulted on between July and September 2025, facilitates the deployment of self-driving bus-, taxi- and private hire-like services. Pilot deployments under this scheme, which will be in place from Spring 2026, are anticipated to be in specific locations and small in scale. Over this initial period, the economic impact is anticipated to be small. Pilot deployments will contribute to government’s understanding of the economic impact of these services, including their relationship with existing modes of transport.