A bill spearheaded by local MP Robbie Moore to reform the licensing rules for taxis and private hire vehicles and crack down on rogue taxi drivers has come into full effect today.
The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Act, named ‘Sian’s Law’ after Sian O’Callaghan was murdered by a private hire vehicle driver in 2011, applies in England from and requires better information sharing between taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities to ensure only fit and proper drivers remain in the sector
The remaining provisions of the Act coming into effect today require taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England to use a licensing information database to record refusals, suspensions and revocations of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licences relating to safeguarding and road safety concerns. All Local Authorities whom control taxi licensing provisions must now refer to the national database before issuing taxi operation licences.
Previously a loophole existed whereby taxi drivers could lose a license from one licensing authority but acquire a new licence from another, no matter where the two authorities were located. The mandatory database and duties placed on licensing authorities in the bill aims to implement tighter controls on taxi licensing provisions and to ensure increased safeguarding protections.
The bill was strongly backed by Keighley MP Robbie Moore, who contributed to the Act during each stage of its passage through Parliament.
Speaking in a debate on the Bill in January 2022, Mr Moore raised concerns about the ease with which some taxi drivers can abuse their position, including in one instance whereby a constituent reported video footage of a local taxi firm distributing drugs to residents. Mr Moore has also previously raised his concerns to Ministers that some local licensing authorities such as North Yorkshire County Council seem to have a much more robust scrutiny procedure, compared with Bradford Council.
He praised the Bill for getting “to the nub of the issue of safeguarding and ensuring there is a clear direction issued to all local licensing authorities that they much share data and review it before issuing taxi licences." And he went on to say that this Bill will provide passengers with “greater peace of mind”.
Commenting on the commencement of ‘Sian’s Law’, Robbie Moore MP said:
“For too long, there has been a huge loophole in the taxi licensing system. Should a taxi driver lose their licence in one local authority area, there was previously nothing to stop them applying for a new licence in a neighbouring authority area, with no obligation on either local authority to share their data or knowledge on the applicant. This unfortunately led to a small minority of taxi drivers abusing the system, and led to local licensing authorities such as Bradford Council not properly vetting applicants.
This issue first came to my attention shortly after my election when a constituent contacted me with video footage of a local taxi driver distributing drugs within our community. These individuals do a disservice to the vast majority of brilliant taxi drivers across Keighley and Ilkley who provide such an important service to local people every single day, and that is why after much lobbying, I’m proud that the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Bill has now come into full effect across Keighley, Ilkley and the rest of England.
This Act will ensure that there is a proper database where refusals, suspensions or safeguarding concerns about certain drivers can be registered, giving passengers and taxi firms hiring drivers greater peace of mind, but also means that local licensing authorities will be better informed when making licensing decisions. I know that this Bill is very much welcomed by all, including many taxi firms and drivers, and I am very pleased to have lobbied hard on this and see it now in Law.
Readers can view a letter from Transport Secretary The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP outlining the new Law below
