The Department for Transport’s new Better Connected strategy has been broadly welcomed by the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU) after it formally placed taxis and private hire vehicles inside the Government’s long-term transport planning for England, reports TaxiPoint.

The strategy says taxis and PHVs should support first and last mile journeys and provide services outside peak hours when other public transport is less available, including support for the night-time economy.

For the private hire sector, that is one of the more notable passages in a document largely centred on integration, local transport planning and technology. The strategy also says an inclusive network must include taxis and private hire vehicles because they fill critical gaps in the transport system, particularly for people needing tailored transport to reach jobs and essential services. It adds that ministers are considering whether all local transport authorities should take responsibility for taxi and PHV licensing so the sector can be fully considered in Local Transport Plans.

ADCU said that recognition was welcome, but warned that drivers and their representatives still risk being treated as an afterthought while new regulatory structures are developed.

Cristina-Georgiana Ioanitescu, the union’s general secretary, said:

“For too long, private hire drivers, who are the backbone of our transport network, have been sidelined in negotiations, leading to regulatory burdens that disproportionately affect them.”

The Union did, however, argue that issues surrounding driver rights, safety and the impact of automation remain unresolved.

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