Wiltshire Council weighs up SCHOOL-ONLY taxi licences amid rising SEND transport demand crisis
Wiltshire Council is exploring the potential introduction of school-only taxi licences as demand for SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) student transport continues to rise. A briefing note prepared for the council’s Licensing Committee outlines the challenges posed by a growing number of students requiring transport, a shrinking pool of licensed taxi drivers, and concerns about whether such a scheme would be enforceable or beneficial.
The idea follows inquiries from the Licensing Committee in September 2024 regarding how other local authorities have implemented similar restricted licences for school transport. While some councils have adopted the model, Wiltshire’s licensing officials are sceptical about its practicality, highlighting potential enforcement issues, limited trade interest, and minimal administrative advantages over standard private hire licences.
Growing Demand Meets Limited Capacity
Wiltshire currently transports around 1,800 SEND students daily, with demand increasing at a rate of 11% per year. New educational facilities, including Silverwood School in Rowde, have added further strain, requiring the council to deploy in-house drivers and 90 council-owned vehicles to fill the gaps left by private providers.
The pressure is set to increase further, with Exeter House in Salisbury opening a second site in September 2025 and a new provision in Tidworth expected to require transport for an additional 130 students. The council’s fleet of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles is already stretched, raising concerns about whether the existing system can cope with future demand.
At the end of September 2024, Wiltshire had 904 licensed drivers—678 for hackney carriage and 226 for private hire. While this represents an 11% increase from the post-pandemic low in December 2022, it is still 14% below pre-pandemic levels. The number of licensed vehicles has also risen but remains 8% lower than in early 2020. The Taxi Licensing team believes that changing consumer habits, lower footfall in town centres, and a reduced night-time economy mean that the trade may never return to previous levels.
How Other Councils Handle School-Only Licences
Approximately 30 of England’s 267 local authorities currently offer school-only taxi licences, including Swansea, Reading, Blaby District (Leicestershire), Swindon, East Riding, and Eastleigh. Dorset Council is also considering a consultation on the subject.
Most councils that operate school-only licensing schemes issue restricted driver licences rather than vehicle licences. The reasoning is simple—purchasing a vehicle solely for school transport is unlikely to be cost-effective, as it cannot be used for other private hire work. Drivers who apply for a school-only licence must typically pass an enhanced DBS check, a medical examination, and safeguarding training.
Some councils streamline the process by waiving the full knowledge test and driving assessment, opting instead for a reduced version to speed up applications. However, Wiltshire’s licensing officials argue that all drivers must meet the same standards, as they are still operating private hire vehicles and must comply with the same legal framework.
In most cases, councils charge the same licence fee for school-only drivers as for private hire licences, though some offer reductions. For example, Reading charges £240 compared to £328 for a standard private hire licence, while East Riding offers a £20 discount from £170 to £150. Wiltshire’s licensing team warns that reducing fees could create financial imbalances, as the cost of processing applications remains the same regardless of the licence type.
Concerns Over Enforcement and Abuse
One of the key objections from Wiltshire’s Taxi Licensing team is the risk that a school-only licence could be exploited as a loophole for drivers to enter the private hire market through a cheaper and less rigorous route. The team argues that ensuring compliance would be difficult with only two enforcement officers covering the entire county.
The introduction of a different-coloured badge for school-only drivers would incur additional costs, which would likely be passed on to applicants through fees. Even with clear restrictions in place, monitoring whether drivers were sticking exclusively to school work would be a significant challenge.
Additionally, school-only drivers would still be required to understand private hire legislation, as they would be operating within the same framework. This raises questions about whether any of the existing licensing requirements—such as full driving assessments and knowledge tests—should be reduced at all.
Lack of Support from the Trade
Wiltshire’s most recent trade representative meeting, held in October 2024, found little enthusiasm for a school-only taxi licence among drivers. Many operators did not see a need for the scheme, suggesting that other factors, such as low school contract payment rates, licensing delays, or alternative job opportunities, might be the real barriers preventing more drivers from taking on school transport work.
The licensing team also points out that if applicants must undergo the same rigorous checks as standard private hire drivers, most would likely opt for the full private hire licence, which allows them to take on a broader range of work rather than being limited to school contracts.
Given the concerns raised, Wiltshire Council is not rushing into a decision. The licensing team believes that before any new licence type is introduced, there must be clear evidence of demand from both drivers and school transport operators.
A consultation has been proposed to gather feedback from stakeholders and assess whether a school-only licence would genuinely attract more applicants. Key considerations include whether a lower licence fee would be a sufficient incentive and whether the real issue is not the licensing process but factors such as contract pay rates or working hours.
While school-only licences may appeal to individuals looking for flexible working hours—such as those who only want to work during school run periods—the overall benefits remain unclear. The overriding priority for the council is public safety, and any new licensing scheme must uphold the same safeguarding and competency standards as existing private hire regulations.
At this stage, Wiltshire’s Taxi Licensing team remains unconvinced that school-only licences offer a workable solution. The council must now determine whether the trade sees enough value in the proposal to justify further action.
