Citizen September 2025 - text version - New rules for taxis to help keep you safe

Changes coming for licensed taxi and private hire drivers in Norwich

If you regularly take a taxi or mini cab around Norwich, new rules are expected to come in later this year, to help keep passengers even safer.

These changes are part of a national effort by the Department for Transport to improve the standards and requirements needed for taxi drivers to be licensed.

Why is this happening?

For some time, the focus of statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards has been about protecting vulnerable adults and children, and these new rules are designed to ensure drivers adhere to high standards around safeguarding and safety.

What can you expect?

Taxi and private hire drivers will need to go through more frequent background checks with DVLA and DBS.

These could include:

• Signing up for the DBS (disclosure and barring service) service.
• Stricter medical checks.
• Safeguard training every time a licence is renewed.
• No vaping in any licensed vehicle.

There are also new rules for taxi companies and operators. Anyone working with private hire vehicles or hackney carriages will also need a DBS check, and operators will have to keep a register of all staff. Drivers will be able to choose to install CCTV within their vehicles.

We are also working in close partnership with nearby councils to manage cross-border drivers. These changes are designed to give passengers peace of mind and ensure that everyone using or working in the taxi trade is protected.

So next time you catch a cab, you can feel even more confident that your ride is in safe hands.