Edinburgh City Council’s Regulatory Committee is set to revisit the issue of private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing following a petition led by local taxi drivers calling for a cap on new licences.
The petition, signed by more than 1,200 people, has sparked a formal review of the number of private hire licences issued across the capital. Taxi drivers say the current volume of PHVs, many working with ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt, is unsustainable and poses a threat to both safety and the long-term health of the licensed taxi trade.
Black cab driver and petition organiser Keith Auld warned the trade is already “beyond the tipping point”, highlighting the imbalance between the city’s 3,000 private hire cars and just 1,316 licensed taxis.
“It’s a risk to our livelihoods because there’s too many cars chasing the same jobs. Ultimately, something’s going to have to give,” Auld said.
Alongside financial concerns, safety has become a major talking point. Drivers claim many PHV operators are working dangerously long hours to make ends meet, often bypassing app time limits by switching between platforms.
Jamie Stalker, secretary of Edinburgh’s Unite taxi drivers’ branch, said some drivers are working “up to 15, 16, even 17 hours every day,” calling it a “dangerous” situation that lacks proper oversight.
While taxi numbers are currently capped at 1,316—with 211 plates still available—the council previously decided in 2022 not to impose a similar limit on private hire licences. However, the new petition has triggered a fresh review.
The matter will be discussed at the next Regulatory Committee meeting on Friday, 8 August, where members have the power to take action if they believe the situation warrants intervention.
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