New national standards on taxi licensing proposed to protect passengers

Ministers will change the law to strengthen safety and protections for passengers in taxi and private hire vehicles ( PHVs ).

The proposed new standards come after Baroness Casey’s audit into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse , which was published in June of this year. Since then, the government has acted fast to keep passengers and young people safe.

Under new rules, debated in Parliament on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, the Transport Secretary would have the power to introduce national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing – which would see all drivers, vehicles and operators subject to robust checks and requirements on safety and accessibility.

This would mean passengers can feel safe in knowing their taxi and PHV meet strict national standards, no matter wh