Council warning over surge in out-of-town private hire taxis

Blackpool Council has written to the Government calling for urgent changes to taxi licensing laws amid mounting concern over the growing number of out-of-town private hire vehicles operating in the resort.

- by Sean Gleaves

Neil Charnock is looking for help for local taxi drivers

In a letter to Simon Lightwood MP, Minister for Local Transport, council leaders warned that the current system is undermining public safety.

And the local authority is claiming that it is leaving enforcement teams powerless to act.

Council leader Coun Lynn Williams and Coun Paula Burdess wrote: “We often see vehicles operating in Blackpool licensed in areas such as Wolverhampton, Wigan, Sefton, Knowsley, Bolton, Bury, Blackburn, Halton and many more.