TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES - THE FUTURE

This paper discusses the future of taxi policy in England and Wales. In October 1993, the Department of Transport (DOT) published a consultation document from which the Transport Select Committee of the House of Commons took evidence, and produced a report with recommendations in April 1994. At present, there are about 17,500 taxis and 22,000 taxi drivers in London, where there are special regulations, and nearly 32,000 taxis and 56,000 taxi drivers in the rest of England and Wales. There are considerably more private hire vehicles (minicabs), but their exact numbers are not known. Travel in both types of vehicles has been growing rapidly. The consultation document said that regulation should relate to: (1) safety and security; (2) consumer protection; (3) accessibility, especially for the mobility handicapped; and (4) environmental protection. The paper discusses the issues arising for these different aspects, including the anomaly that minicabs in London do not yet have their own regulations. The author hopes that taxi regulations will soon be modernised, making accessibility the norm and reducing diversity between different areas. For the covering abstract see IRRD 869481.