Private Hire Vehicles Rise 13% as England's Taxi Fleet Falls 7%, DfT Figures Show

England’s private hire vehicle fleet has grown sharply while the number of licensed taxis has fallen, according to the latest Department for Transport statistics covering the position on 1 April 2026.

The DfT recorded around 290,000 licensed private hire vehicles, up 13% compared with 2024. By contrast, the number of licensed taxis fell 7% to 52,300. Combined, England had approximately 342,300 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles, an increase of 9% from 2024.

The number of taxi and private hire driver licences also rose to around 417,300, up 9%. The DfT cautions that this does not equal the number of individual drivers because one person can hold licences with more than one licensing authority.

One of the most striking figures remains Wolverhampton. Around 38,000 private hire vehicles were licensed by the authority, representing 13.1% of all licensed PHVs in England. The DfT stresses that this shows where vehicles are licensed, not necessarily where they actually operate.

Private hire operator licences also increased, reaching around 18,900, up 17% compared with 2024. That means more competition between operators as well as more vehicles. For smaller taxi and private hire businesses trying to win direct bookings rather than relying entirely on large apps, a professional online presence is increasingly important. DM Site Builder offers websites for taxi, private hire and other businesses, including a free option.

Accessibility remains a significant divide. The DfT recorded around 28,000 wheelchair-accessible taxis and 6,400 wheelchair-accessible PHVs. Overall, the number of wheelchair-accessible licensed taxis and PHVs fell 4% compared with 2024.

The figures show a continuing shift towards private hire rather than traditional hackney carriage licensing and provide fresh national context to the debate around out-of-area working, licensing capacity and enforcement between councils.

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