Glasgow taxi number rise would cause 'irreversible damage'

Taxi drivers have expressed concern over lifting limits on drivers

Glasgow taxi and private hire drivers have claimed enough cabs are already operating in the city and say lifting a cap on numbers could risk public safety.

Unite the union and the Scottish Private Hire Association (SPHA) led a rally outside Glasgow city chambers on Wednesday, calling for the retention of policies which limit the number of vehicles.

Ride-hailing app Uber and business leaders in the city are in favour of scrapping the limit, while concerns have been raised about the availability of cabs, particularly late at night.

However, drivers at the rally warned changes to the cap could "flood the market" and force them to work extra hours, causing safety risks.

The council recently held a consultation on the issue.

Over-provision policies were last reviewed in 2023, when Glasgow's licensing committee agreed to make 255 more private hire car licences available to address demand at busy times.

Academic research previously showed that anxieties over finding transport home can put people off visiting the city centre in the evening, which can hit the night time economy.

Neil Scoffield, a private hire driver, said the city centre "is on its knees" currently, and upping the number of drivers would further squeeze money.

He said: "You go through the city, there are cars parked up everywhere. If you increase the number, you are going to cause damage to the trade that is irreversible."

Other drivers said they feared companies could "flood the market" with drivers having to "chase the work".

'Wide range of opinion'

Currently, the limit on taxi operators is 1,420 and private hire cars 3,450.

Private hires are at the limit, with hundreds of bids for new licences rejected over the past year. The number of taxis has been below the cap.

A report on the findings from the consultation over numbers will be presented to the licensing committee in the coming months, before any decision is made.

A spokesman for the city council said private hire car services had undergone considerable change in recent years.

He said: "Committee members therefore wished to reflect on whether the policies that regulate these services remain proportionate and necessary.

"The recent consultation on the number of taxi and private hire cars eligible to operate in Glasgow was open to all and has drawn in a wide range of opinion on this matter."

Story by Local Democracy Reporting Service reporter Drew Sandelands.