Barnsley cab trade ‘could be wiped out’, say drivers in petition plea to council and MPs

Craig Sutton, a licensed taxi driver since February, says drivers from other towns are putting public safety at risk and threatening local livelihoods. He warns that many vehicles operating in Barnsley lack the signage, badges, and plates required of locally licensed taxis, making it harder for passengers to know if a driver is legitimate.

Mr Sutton said councils elsewhere have issued licenses “like confetti,” oversaturating their own markets and forcing drivers to seek work in places like Barnsley.

“I’m not saying a Barnsley driver would never do anything wrong,” he said, “but it’s people coming from outside who don’t care about Barnsley people.”

He expressed frustration with enforcement efforts. “I’ve not been pulled over once since I started in February. I’ve not seen anyone else pulled either,” he said. He also raised concerns about drivers lending out their badges and vehicles to unlicensed individuals.

Under current law, private hire vehicles licensed elsewhere can legally operate in Barnsley as long as the vehicle, driver, and operator are all licensed by the same authority, creating what drivers call a loophole in the Deregulation Act.

Fellow driver Eshan Ali, with 20 years in the trade, said competition has become so fierce that local drivers are working longer hours and taking home less.

“There’s already no trade, it’s quiet,” Mr Ali added.

“The biggest issue is that there’s not enough work to go around for Barnsley drivers like us, that pay the fees to our local council, yet there’s people coming from elsewhere and taking the work.

Mr Ali said that drivers were having to work eight to ten hours a day just to break even, with the increase in insurance, fuel and maintaining their vehicles to the high standards expected.

He added that large companies are exploiting the loophole in the Deregulation Act, which allows private hire firms to subcontract bookings to operators licensed in other areas. This has led to a sharp increase in taxis from places like Wolverhampton working locally, often under different standards.

Mr Sutton added it’s not unusual for drivers to earn as little as £60 for a 12-hour shift.

The issue isn’t just about competition, say drivers, it’s also about safeguarding. Mr Sutton recounted cases where passengers were overcharged or made to feel unsafe by out-of-town drivers unfamiliar with local standards.

Steve Smith, chairman of the Barnsley Private Hire Association, told the local democracy reporting service that if the situation does not change, the industry in Barnsley will be ‘destroyed’.

“No one knows who’s driving these cars,” said Mr Smith. “No one knows if they are the licensed driver for that vehicle. On a Saturday night we’ve got more cars from Bradford working in Barnsley than we do Barnsley cars. It’s taking money out of our pockets and food off our table.

“We are not being taken into consideration.”

Mr Smith warned that with the struggle to attract younger drivers and older drivers retiring, the taxi industry in Barnsley could be ‘wiped out’

The petition, which has over 580 signatures, calls for changes to national legislation, better enforcement, and greater council powers to regulate all taxis operating locally, regardless of where they are licensed.

Councillor Steve Green, chair of Barnsley Council’s licensing board, acknowledged the concerns. “We appreciate the issues raised,” he said. “Our top priority is public safety. We uphold high standards for Barnsley-licensed drivers and vehicles.”

Cllr Green confirmed that out-of-town vehicles are subject to spot checks, often in cooperation with licensing officers from other authorities. However, Barnsley officers have no power to discipline drivers licensed elsewhere. “Any offences are reported to the relevant authority,” he added.

Mr Sutton said that only coordinated national reform can resolve the problem. “Every council needs to get on board and push for change in Parliament,” he said.