Fewer private hire vehicles in Mansfield than before pandemic

The GMB Union said running taxis and pre-booked cars has become more expensive due to a ‘perfect storm’ of problems, including the cost-of-living crisis, the coronavirus pandemic and licensing issues.

A private hire vehicle, such as those available through Uber, must be pre-booked and cannot ply for hire, whereas a taxi, such as a traditional black cab, can be hailed down and is usually charged on a timed meter.

Department for Transport figures show there were 36 private hire vehicles in Mansfield as of March – down from 41 the year before and below 44 in March 2020.

However, in Ashfield, there were 293 private hire vehicles as of March, up from 253 the year before and above pre-pandemic levels.

Across England and Wales, the total number of private vehicles increased in the last year following a significant drop in 2021 – though it is still well below the number of vehicles on the roads before the pandemic.

There were 236,000 private hire vehicles in 2020, dropping to 197,000 last year before rebounding to 208,000 this year.

Yaseen Aslam, president of the App Drivers and Couriers Union, which represents private hire drivers, said: "A lot of people stopped driving during the pandemic, as they became couriers and decided it was more cost-effective.

Mr Aslam said low pay sometimes attached to working for a private hire vehicle company is another issue, adding a cap on the total number of licensed drivers should be introduced to protect against increasingly lower fares.

"When they try and make it unlimited, it is not sustainable," he added.

Meanwhile, the number of taxis nationally has continued to fall every year since 2017, from 80,500 to 62,300 this year – and GMB is concerned about the number of drivers leaving the industry.

Steve Garelick, GMB regional organiser, said: "Taxi driving has got more expensive in recent years and licensing isn’t helping support drivers.

“Whether it is fuel costs, or how expensive electric vehicles are, overheads are a struggle.

“Through the pandemic, many moved into other industries, and only now is demand picking back up fully, and drivers returning."

The number of taxis in Mansfield has fallen throughout the last few years, from 73 in 2020 to 72 in 2022.

Of the taxis available in March, just 29 were wheelchair accessible, while no private hire vehicle offered disabled access.

The figures also show there are now 130 licences for taxi and private hire drivers in the area – below 159 in 2020.

Nationally, the number of total licenses has dropped from 376,700 in 2020 to 341,300.

The number of taxis in Ashfield has bucked the trend, remaining steady at 164 in the last year but remains below 174 in 2020, before the pandemic.

Of the taxis available in March, 75 were wheelchair accessible, while two private hire vehicle offered disabled access. The figures also show there are now 741 licences for taxi and private hire drivers in the area – below 756 in 2020.

GMB expressed its support for drivers who have left the industry.

Mr Garelick said: "GMB will always stand with drivers for better terms and conditions in their roles."