Andy Burnham calls plan to ‘reduce’ out-of-area taxi working ‘not good enough’

Andy Burnham’s pushing back against new government plans to tackle out-of-area taxi drivers, saying they’re ‘not good enough’. Nearly half of Greater Manchester’s private hire drivers are licensed elsewhere, including Wolverhampton, which affects local standards. The government’s plan to ‘reduce’ out-of-area working by cutting licensing authorities from 263 to 70 has left Burnham wanting more. He insists on a complete end to such practices rather than a mere reduction, expressing concerns about the safety of commuters. There’s a proposal for local transport authorities, like Transport for Greater Manchester, to manage licensing directly, which Burnham acknowledges as a step in the right direction but still insists they need to ensure high safety standards. Transport minister Lillian Greenwood highlighted that passenger safety is the priority in this restructuring. Overall, while Burnham sees progress, he’s not satisfied until safety standards can be guaranteed for Greater Manchester residents.

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