Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has once again faced calls to tackle the growing issue of out-of-town private hire vehicles, after a frustrated local driver raised concerns live on BBC Radio Manchester with presenter Mike Sweeney.
George, a private hire driver from Wythenshawe, told Mr Burnham that drivers in Manchester are struggling because of the flood of Wolverhampton, Sefton, and Knowsley-licensed vehicles working across Greater Manchester.
Speaking on air, George explained:
“I’m now working 72 hours a week instead of 40. I’ll be 60 years old next year. I started work today at 7am, and now it’s 11am – I’ve only made £38. What’s going to happen? You know about the out-of-town plates – Wolverhampton, Sefton and Knowsley are the main ones.”
Andy Burnham Responds
Mr Burnham said the driver’s experience summed up the “direct impact” the problem is having on people’s lives, stressing that it is the government – not local authorities – that must act.
“There is a bill in Parliament – the English Devolution Bill – that could fix this,” the Mayor said.
“I’ve told the government before and I’ll be saying it again at the conference next week: we need the power to control licence numbers in Greater Manchester and restrict out-of-area plates. The government needs to get on with it, do it, and fix it. We just need to get it over the line.”
Why It Matters
The long-running issue of cross-border hiring allows private hire drivers to gain licences from councils such as Wolverhampton, where regulations are often less strict, and then operate in other cities including Manchester.
Local drivers argue this undermines earnings, weakens passenger safety standards, and removes control from councils who are unable to enforce rules on cars not licensed in their area.
Andy Burnham has repeatedly lobbied for change, promising to hand powers back to local councils if legislation is passed. For now, he says the pressure must stay on ministers to deliver.
Listen Back
You can hear the full exchange on BBC Radio Manchester with Mike Sweeney.
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