Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has spoken with senior Government officials to discuss changes that could have a major impact on driver licensing.
The Labour Mayor called for an end to taxi drivers operating beyond their licensed territories when meeting with officials earlier this week.
The September 4 discussions with ministers, including Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, focused on legislative changes that would prohibit the widespread practice.
Currently, almost half of all private hire vehicles operating in Greater Manchester hold licences from other councils, with many registered in places like Wolverhampton.
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Andy Burnham has called for an overhaul of licensing rules for taxi drivers
|PA
The mayor has characterised the current arrangements as fundamentally flawed, arguing that drivers licensed hundreds of miles away from their operational base undermine local standards and accountability.
Mr Burnham argued that the current framework poses risks to public safety whilst creating unfair competition for drivers who comply with local licensing requirements.
He said: "For too long, communities in Greater Manchester and across the country have been at the mercy of a broken taxi system that allows private hire vehicles and drivers to be licensed hundreds of miles away from where they live and operate.
"This is not just a matter of fairness for locally licensed drivers to protect their livelihoods, it's a matter of public safety," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Andy Burnham met with senior Government officials to discuss the matter
| GETTYParliamentary backing for the proposed restrictions has emerged through amendments to the English Devolution Bill.
Local representatives supporting the changes include Labour MPs Josh Simons from Makerfield and James Frith representing Bury North, alongside Liberal Democrat Lisa Smart from Hazel Grove.
The mayor has pursued this reform for a considerable time, having secured what he described as a "firm commitment" from former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh in February 2024 to implement the restrictions.
The Government's acceptance of Baroness Casey's recommendations on out-of-area licensing has strengthened the case for immediate action through the current legislation.
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Greater Manchester launched its "backing our taxis" initiative in April, presenting comprehensive proposals for reforming the sector.
The campaign urged ministers to eliminate VAT on vehicles modified for disabled passengers and maintain electric taxi subsidies through March 2027.
The mayor also requested reducing VAT rates to five per cent for public electric vehicle charging infrastructure. A three-month consultation period concluded after gathering over 5,000 industry responses.
Transport for Greater Manchester is formulating proposals for licensing reforms beyond the scope of the English Devolution Bill.
The Bee Network was launched by Mayor Andy Burnham in 2023
| PAMr Burnham previously indicated that Greater Manchester must enhance its standards through a more integrated licensing framework, encouraging drivers to register locally rather than elsewhere.
He has been instrumental in improving public transport options across Greater Manchester in recent years, headlined by the region's fleet of British-made Bee Network electric buses.
The politician said an investment-led approach to handling transport across the area would be more suitable than a Clean Air Zone scheme that would charge petrol and diesel car owners to drive in the city.
The latest update from Clean Air Greater Manchester confirmed that the investment-led approach, which is backed by the Bee Network and grants for taxi drivers to switch to electric vehicles, has worked to slash emissions across the region.