Portsmouth councillors back move to tighten rules on out-of-area private hire drivers

Portsmouth City Council is preparing to introduce tighter controls to ensure that all taxis and private hire vehicles operating within the city meet the same safety standards, regardless of where they are licensed.

The renewed push comes after an alleged harassment incident involving a Baffins woman and a Wolverhampton-licensed private hire driver. The vehicle did not have in-car CCTV, a safety requirement that is mandatory for all Portsmouth-licensed cars. The case has reignited long-running concerns about cross-border taxi operations and gaps in national regulation.

During a recent licensing committee meeting, councillors agreed to explore new powers aimed at closing what they described as a worrying safety loophole. Councillor George Madgwick said the issue had become “massive” nationwide, with many authorities struggling to protect residents from vehicles licensed elsewhere but operating locally.

Cllr Madgwick proposed that major operators, including Uber and Veezu, should only dispatch vehicles in Portsmouth that comply with local standards. This would include CCTV, enhanced background checks, and other safeguarding measures. He also urged the council to consider suspending or revoking operator licences if companies fail to meet these requirements.

He referenced Baroness Louise Casey’s national review into grooming gangs, which recommended banning out-of-area taxis altogether. The Government has since indicated that it intends to act on the findings.

Councillor Jason Fazackarley welcomed the proposal and requested clarity on the timeline for change. Officers suggested the council could begin progressing the policy adjustments by November or December this year.

Councillor Darren Sanders tabled amendments reinforcing that every vehicle picking up passengers in Portsmouth, regardless of where its licence was issued, must meet local safety conditions. He also called for Portsmouth MPs Stephen Morgan and Amanda Martin to be consulted to help push for parliamentary reform.

Earlier this month, Cllr Madgwick wrote to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP calling for urgent national action. In his letter, he cited the recent Portsmouth incident and noted that it was not the first concern raised about Wolverhampton-licensed vehicles operating in the city. He urged the Government to ban cross-border operation, establish consistent national standards and give councils the authority to limit out-of-area vehicles in their jurisdictions. The issue, he stressed, is not political but fundamentally about public safety.

The council’s solicitor described the proposal as “interesting” but cautioned that any meaningful reform would require coordinated action between multiple local authorities. Without such collaboration, the practical impact of local policy changes could remain limited.

The discussion signals growing political pressure both locally and nationwide to address how private hire vehicles operate across council boundaries, and whether current legislation is still fit for purpose in cities like Portsmouth.