Blackpool unlicensed taxis are a safety risk, says MP

Chris Webb said there was a "clear safety risk" with some taxis not following the rules

Action needs to be taken against unlicensed taxis in a seaside town, an MP has said.

Chris Webb, the new Blackpool South MP elected in the recent by-election, has taken aim at companies whose taxis operate without a licence.

Mr Webb said there had been a "massive increase in unlicensed and uninsured taxi drivers picking up jobs here".

The government said it had published updated guidance on the issue for licensing authorities in England.

After Mr Webb raised the issue in Parliament on 18 May, Guy Opperman, the Under-Secretary of State for Roads and Local Transport, said the government had published updated "best practice guidance".

'Clear risk'

The Labour MP said unlicensed drivers were "parking in local taxi ranks illegally and taking passengers through the apps, but also taking rides for cash and being uninsured. There's a clear safety risk here".

He said he hopes to meet taxi operators who are operating unlicensed vehicles in the town "to discuss this issue and see if we can get a way forward".

He continued: "It's a serious issue that's affecting the livelihoods of local residents.

"I met with the council's licensing department to see what's already happened and agree on a way forward with the council."

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The former Lancashire deputy police and crime commissioner said he "will work with anyone who wants to deliver jobs here in Blackpool, but they have to follow the rules".

Drivers who are not in vehicles licensed in Blackpool can only drop off from their original place where they have a license and cannot pick up in the town.

But Blackpool Council's director of community and environmental services has said "taxi operators have alerted us to instances of app-based unlicensed drivers operating in Blackpool".

He added: "This is not a situation that is unique to Blackpool. We are in the process of seeking advice from the Local Government Association as well as reviewing what legal powers we have under the existing legislation."