Limit on taxi licences in Perth

Overview

Perth and Kinross Council wishes to hear what members of the public, as well as members of the taxi and private hire trade (also called ‘the Trade’) think about the number of taxis available in the Perth.

What is the difference between a taxi and a private hire?

The difference between a taxi and a private hire is how they are hired:

• Only a taxi can be hailed on the street or from a taxi rank
• Private hires must be booked in advance through a licensed operator or an app. Taxis may also be booked this way.

What is this consultation about?

This consultation is regarding taxis only. Remember, these are the only vehicles that someone can hail on the street or from a taxi rank.

We want to find out what the public and the Trade think about the number of licences that are issued for taxis in Perth.

Currently, there is a limit on the number of taxi licences and that limit is 80. This limit is also called a ‘cap’. This does not necessarily mean that there will always, or ever, be 80 taxis available to the public at any one time. Instead, this is just the number of licences issued in total by the Council.

Taxis do not have to operate on any specific days, at any specific times, or at all.

In fact, taxis do not have to operate as taxis at all—they could operate as private hires whenever they want to or they may be contracted to work specific routes at specific times.

Why are we asking about this?

Perth and Kinross Council has a policy of limiting the number of taxi licences issued. This can only be done if the Council is satisfied that there is no significant unmet demand for taxis. The Council reviews this around every three years.

As part of this process, a company was hired to complete a survey to see if the public demand for taxis was being met. This is called an ‘Unmet Demand Survey’. You can read more about the results of that survey, but we have summarised the most important points below:

• The amount of time passengers had to wait for a taxi in 2024 was significantly greater than in 2017 (which was pre-pandemic).
• Disabled passengers, especially wheelchair users, continue to face increased difficulties.
• There is a significant demand for the services of taxis in Perth that is not met (this is an ‘unmet demand’).
• The limit or cap on the number of taxis should be increased by 24 to meet the demand.
• If the limit or cap is increased to allow such large a number as 24 new taxi licences to be issued, it is also worth considering whether there is a realistic difference between that and removing the limit or cap altogether (making the number of licences available ‘unlimited’).

At a Licensing Committee Meeting held on 25 March 2025, it was agreed that the Council would consult with the public to see what the next steps might be in relation to how the unmet demand should be addressed.

We are also including some additional questions to find out what sort of vehicles you would prefer to see for any new taxi licences which are allowed, for example, wheelchair accessible vehicles or electric vehicles.

Why your views matter

Whether the Council raises the number of taxi licences in Perth by 24 licences or removes the cap altogether (to allow for unlimited taxi licences) will have an impact on people who currently have a taxi.

This is why we are asking the taxi trade as well as members of the public to make their preference known by completing this short consultation. We are making sure everyone's voice is heard before a decision can be made about which option the Council should adopt.

What happens next

Feedback from this consultation will be used, along with other information collected, to prepare a Report to the Licensing Committee. The Licensing Committee makes decisions on how many additional taxi licences will be made available, as well any other restrictions on vehicle types.