Bury Council calls for end to out-of-area taxi licensing

Taxis working in Bury should be licensed in Bury, town hall bosses have told a Parliamentary inquiry.

Bury Council, with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the nine other Greater Manchester licensing authorities, has submitted evidence and feedback to the inquiry, which closed this week.

The inquiry has been looking at inconsistencies in licensing practices across local authorities, the impact of ‘ride-hailing platforms’ e.g. Uber and Bolt, and the challenges posed by "out of area" taxis.

Councillor Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for culture, the economy and skills, said: “We welcome the inquiry and hope it leads to meaningful reform. One of the most pressing issues is out-of-area licensing, which undermines local enforcement and public confidence. We want to see this loophole closed so that all licensing authorities can apply fair and proportionate enforcement within their own boundaries.

“This is about protecting the travelling public and supporting responsible, local drivers.”

Bury Council’s position aligns with the ‘Backing Our Taxis: Local. Licensed. Trusted.’ campaign, which calls on the Government to grant Mayoral Combined Authorities new powers to license and regulate taxi and private hire venicles more effectively. These powers would ensure that all vehicles operating in Greater Manchester meet consistent safety and quality standards, regardless of where they are licensed.

ENDS

Issued: 11 September 2025.