Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers a local authority has to limit the total number of private hire vehicles and taxis licensed to operate in its area.

Licensing authorities in England and Wales, outside London, may restrict the number of taxi (hackney carriage) vehicle licences they issue in order to limit numbers, providing there is no significant unmet demand for hackney carriage services in their area. There is no equivalent power for taxis in London, or for private hire vehicles.

The Department for Transport’s Task and Finish Group on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is considering the regulation of the trade as one of its key areas for discussion and will report its findings to the Minister in the New Year.