An investigation has revealed a dramatic rise in complaints filed against taxi and private hire drivers across Oxfordshire, with local councils logging 714 reports over the 2025/26 period — a significant leap from 601 the previous year, and nearly double the 368 reported in 2021/22.
The sharpest increase occurred in Oxford City, where complaints surged to 549 over the past year, a 139% rise compared to the 229 recorded in 2021/22. Since April 2021, the city council alone has logged nearly 2,000 complaints against local drivers. Commonly cited issues include speeding, abusive behaviour toward passengers and unauthorised or illegal parking, though some cases raised more serious concerns — including a driver disciplined for refusing service to a visually impaired passenger travelling with a guide dog, and another who turned away a wheelchair user, claiming the boot was too full for their equipment.
Enforcement has followed the rise in reports: Cherwell District Council disclosed that it has suspended or revoked 39 driver licences over the past five years due to misconduct or non-compliance. West Oxfordshire District Council did not supply data for the investigation.
Representatives from the local trade urged the public to distinguish between different types of service provider, noting that Oxford City Council’s figures combine traditional hackney carriages with private hire and ride-hailing drivers. Sajad Khan, representing the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association, defended local black cab operators, highlighting that the city’s Hackney Carriage fleet is 100% wheelchair accessible and subject to rigorous local safety and conduct standards.
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