Blackpool Council to keep licensing fees and charges at reduced for 2022-23

Blackpool Council has decided to peg licensing fees and charges at a reduced level for a further year.

Blackpool Council last year cut taxi licensing fees and charges to support businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic. Now the council has agreed not to increase costs for operators and also reduce licence fees for their drivers for 2022-23.

The recently approved council decision will see a 22% reduction in a three-year driver’s licence and its renewal, which will make accessing the industry more attractive to both new and existing drivers.

To provide additional support, the council has also decided to continue with the temporary one-year driver’s licence. The scheme was due to end on March 31, but will be replaced by a new one-year option from April 1 to new and existing drivers. The cost of a new one-year licence is set at £75 and the one-year renewal costs £65.

Cllr Neal Brookes, Blackpool Council cabinet member for enforcement, public safety, highways and transport, said: “We have committed to keep fees and charges reduced for another year. Having seen the positive impact that this has had last year on recruiting within the licensed taxi trade, it will help bolster the economy as well as provide a better and safer licensed taxi service to residents and visitors to the area.”

Bill Lewtas, Secretary of the Blackpool Licensed Taxi Operators Association, said: “We are very pleased to learn about this reduction in taxi driver license fees. We raised concerns with the council about the difficulties recruiting drivers and they listened. By reducing taxi driver license fees to a figure which is one of the lowest in the country, it is hoped to attract people into driving a Blackpool Taxi.”