Luton driver denied for safeguarding concerns as taxi and private hire vehicle licensing toughened up

New measures to safeguard passengers of taxis and private hire vehicles have already stopped a Luton driver in his tracks.

The new platform revealed an applicant who previously had their licence removed due to safeguarding concerns. Despite the driver failing to disclose this in their application, the system ensured Luton Council was aware and the request was rejected as a result.

Councils in the country must now use a national database to record instances where taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers have their licences removed for misconduct. This law, Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safety and Road Safety) Act 2022, will prevent them from reapplying for a licence in other areas by alerting the system to concerns about their prior behaviour.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “The safety of passengers, especially women and girls, is paramount. That’s why I’m bringing in tough new measures to ensure that when you catch a cab, you can be confident your driver will take you from A to B safely and without incident.

“While the vast majority of drivers are hardworking and honest, we’re taking steps to remove the few who abuse their position and pose a risk to passengers.”

The new tool has been backed by the family of a woman who was murdered by a PHV driver in 2011. Sian O’Callaghan was 22 when she was killed in 2011. As of April 27, the use of the database will be mandatory for every driver licence application with councils facing potential legal action if they do not carry out the necessary checks.