'I'm delighted' - Blackpool South MP Chris Webb backs government crackdown on Wolverhampton-registered taxis

A government crackdown which will ban Wolverhampton-registered taxis from the resort's streets has been welcomed by a Blackpool MP.

Details of the plans were announced in the King's speech at the opening of Parliament this week and immediately received the support of Blackpool South MP Chris Webb. In Blackpool many of the taxis operating during the peak summer months and The Illuminations are licensed by Wolverhampton Council.

The West Midlands town has been dubbed the 'taxi capital of the UK' and has become the largest licensing authority in England. Figures from last year reveal 96 per cent of taxis licensed in Wolverhampton operate outside the area.

In November, it was revealed the council had licensed nearly 34,000 private hire vehicles in 205, compared with just under 11,000 in 2020. Now the Taxi and Private Hire Bill, announced in Parliament this week, will look at introducing a national database of all licensed taxis and hire vehicles and give regulators stronger enforcement powers.

And it seeks to ban drivers from being licensed in one area and plying their trade in another.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Webb said he had been campaigning for a change in the rules for the last two years. He said: "Just under two years ago, when we were in opposition, I stood from the opposition benches to ask my first question as the MP for Blackpool South.

"I called for taxi licensing reform. Taxis are an essential part of Blackpool's transport network, but the licensing scheme has failed both passengers and our local economy. We need reform so that local drivers are protected, passengers are safe and Blackpool gets the benefit of the revenue that is created in our town, instead of it leaving down the motorway at the end of each day.

"After a long campaign, I am delighted that the Government will take the action that I have long campaigned for to modernise taxi and private hire laws. This bill can finally address the issue of out-of-area working, protecting public safety and supporting local taxi revenue."

Under current legislation, there are no geographic restrictions, as long as the operator, driver and vehicle are licensed in the same area. Local councils have no power to change or prevent this. Two years ago, Blackpool taxi driver Neil Charnock launched a petition calling for a return to the system where all taxis were regulated by their own local council.

He warned: "Jobs will be lost if the current legislation continues."

A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council said: "Our application process included vigorous checks. But, we stress that it is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live."