Taxi and private hire drivers are being left unable to work because of lengthy licensing delays, prompting MPs to call for national performance targets and greater accountability from licensing authorities. A new Transport Committee report warns that prolonged waits for licence applications and renewals are creating financial hardship for drivers while also fuelling the growth of licence shopping, where drivers seek licences from authorities perceived to be faster and more ef

A County Durham taxi driver has been fined after admitting he transported schoolchildren in an unlicensed and uninsured vehicle while carrying out home-to-school transport work on behalf of Durham County Council. Keith Lambton, 53, was prosecuted after council officers observed him collecting pupils in a vehicle that was not licensed for taxi or private hire use, despite holding a contract to transport children to and from school. According to Durham County Council, Lambton w

The Department for Transport has confirmed it has not issued specific guidance to developers of private hire booking or navigation applications, despite growing use of app-based technology across the taxi and private hire vehicle sector. In a series of written parliamentary questions, Iqbal Mohamed asked ministers what assessment had been made of the impact of private hire booking apps and navigation software on road safety and driver distraction, whether guidance had been is