Last Sunday, taxi drivers and private hire operators from across Leeds gathered at the Bilal Centre for a rally organised by Unite the Union. The issue on the table was cross-border hiring — a practice that many in the trade say is quietly destroying their livelihoods while putting passengers at risk. It’s a row that’s been simmering for years, but right now it feels like it’s finally coming to the boil.
So what is cross-border hiring, exactly?
In simple terms, it’s when a private hire driver licensed in one area picks up passengers in a completely different area. The practice became far more widespread after the Deregulation Act 2015 changed the rules to allow operators to accept bookings remotely, regardless of where the journey actually takes place. What followed, critics say, was a race to the bottom — with some drivers obtaining licences from whichever council had the lowest standards, then flooding cities like Leeds to pick up fares.
Leeds operator and Unite member Mike Utting put it bluntly: thousands of cross-border vehicles are already operating in the city, picking up passengers without bookings and doing as they please — with just five enforcement officers on duty per week to deal with it. As he described it, the situation is nearly totally unregulated. That’s not just bad for local drivers’ income. It’s a genuine safety concern.
The government’s proposed fix isn’t sitting well either
The UK Government is currently consulting on plans to reduce the number of taxi licensing authorities in England from more than 260 down to around 70. In West Yorkshire, that could mean a single licensing body covering the entire region — including Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.
Drivers aren’t buying it. Utting warned the plan would make things significantly worse, with up to 10,000 vehicles from across West Yorkshire suddenly able to descend on Leeds and compete for the same fares. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham was equally direct, saying the proposed reforms won’t solve the problems created by cross-border hiring and that the union would continue holding the government to account until proper protections are in place.
What does Unite actually want?
Rather than a structural merger of licensing authorities, Unite is calling for three specific changes. First, a “start or finish” rule that would require private hire journeys to either begin or end in the area where the driver is licensed. Second, national minimum standards for driver vetting, safeguarding and training. Third, stronger enforcement powers for local councils — so they can act against any driver operating within their borders, regardless of where that driver’s licence was originally issued.
The passenger safety angle
This isn’t just a drivers’ pay dispute — there’s a real safeguarding dimension here. The independent Casey Review previously highlighted how inconsistent taxi and private hire licensing creates gaps that can be exploited, with women and children particularly at risk. Unite has been pushing for the review’s recommendations to be implemented in full, and the Leeds rally was partly a message to government that the industry isn’t prepared to wait indefinitely.
Whether ministers will listen is another matter. For now, the drivers of Leeds have made their feelings clear — and given how unregulated things appear to be on the ground, it’s hard to argue they don’t have a case worth hearing.
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Sources
PHTM — Leeds Cabbies to Rally Against Total Disaster of Cross-Border Working
Taxi Point — Leeds Taxi Drivers Warn Licensing Shake-Up Will Be Total Disaster
LocalGov — Unite Announces Rally Against Cross-Border Hiring
Morning Star — Cab Drivers and Unite to Rally Against Government Taxi Licensing Reforms
