The Forest of Dean has one of the lowest numbers of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles per head in England, according to newly released Department for Transport figures.
The district had just 58 licensed vehicles serving a population of 89,753 as of 1 April 2026.
That works out at around 0.6 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles for every 1,000 residents, highlighting the challenges faced by people relying on local transport in rural areas.
The figures show the Forest of Dean’s licensed fleet consisted of only six hackney carriages and 52 private hire vehicles.
By comparison, Department for Transport figures show there were around 342,300 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles across England in 2026.
Nationally, the total number of licensed vehicles increased by around 9% compared with 2024. However, that increase was driven largely by the private hire sector.
The number of licensed private hire vehicles rose by around 13% to approximately 290,000, while the number of taxis fell by around 7% to roughly 52,300.
The Forest of Dean figures underline a wider divide between urban and rural areas.
Areas close to major towns and cities were reported to have around 7.6 licensed vehicles per 1,000 residents, while more rural areas recorded considerably lower availability.
The practical situation may be even more difficult than licensing figures suggest.
A vehicle being licensed in a particular council area does not necessarily mean it is available to local passengers at all times. Some drivers may spend significant periods working outside the district, while others may be committed to school contracts, account work or longer-distance bookings.
This can leave rural passengers facing limited availability, particularly during evenings, weekends and other periods when public transport services may already be reduced.
For residents without access to a car, taxis and private hire vehicles can play an important role in reaching hospitals, workplaces, railway stations, shops and other essential services.
The issue also comes at a time when taxi and private hire licensing is under increasing scrutiny nationally, with the Government considering wider reforms to how the sector is regulated.
Forest of Dean District Council currently licenses hackney carriage drivers and vehicles, private hire drivers and vehicles, and private hire operators.
For taxi and private hire businesses looking to improve how they handle bookings and dispatch work, DM Taxi Assistant provides affordable booking and dispatch software for taxi operators.
The latest figures suggest that while the number of private hire vehicles is growing nationally, that growth is not being shared evenly across the country.
For rural communities such as the Forest of Dean, the challenge is not simply how many vehicles are licensed, but how many are actually available when local passengers need them.
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