New Sunderland City Council figures reveal taxi and private hire complaints have tripled

In recent years, Sunderland City Council’s licensing and regulatory committee has reviewed figures linked to city-wide “hackney carriage and private hire licensing matters”.

The first annual report monitored performance and activity over 2022, setting out information on applications for new licences, transfers of ownership and renewals as well as complaints related to licensed drivers and vehicles.

According to the latest annual report for the 2025 calendar year, complaints “relating to licensed drivers” have more than tripled compared to 2024 figures with an increase from 62 to 211.

The report said the “sharp increase” was linked to “compliance with private hire operator conditions which state that all complaints must be reported to the licensing section”.

The 2025 annual licensing report, presented to councillors at a meeting earlier this month, also provides a breakdown of the types of complaints.

Of the 211 complaints related to licensed drivers, around half (114) were linked to “driving ability/skills”, with examples cited linked to “dangerous driving”, “parking inappropriately”, “incorrect use of hackney carriage stand” and more.

Around 58 of the 211 driver complaints were linked to “behaviour/attitude” with examples including “not dropping off at requested destination”, “smoking in a licensed vehicle’’, “sounding the horn to attract attention” and more.

Around 26 complaints in 2025 were linked to “fare/card payments”, such as not accepting card payments, “overcharging” and other issues while 12 complaints were linked to issues such as “refusal of a fare” or “not accepting booking for a fare” and one complaint was linked to “poor customer service.”

There was also an increase in “complaints received regarding vehicles” with 56 complaints recorded in 2025 compared to 24 the previous year.

A report to councillors said that 48 of the vehicle complaints related to “incorrect use of the taxi ranks, by either ‘out of town vehicles’, members of the public or vehicles licensed by this council”.

Around 21 of the 48 complaints “related to vehicles licensed by other licensing authorities using Sunderland City Council designated taxi ranks or ‘plying for hire’”.

Other vehicle complaints were linked to “condition of bodywork, or signage on the vehicle” or a “taxi plate or livery [being] displayed inappropriately.”

Of the 267 complaints in 2025, covering both drivers and vehicles, 74 saw “no further action taken, or feasible” and the remainder saw a range of formal action taken.

This included 102 complaints involving “verbal warnings, or advice” and 69 involving “written warnings, or severe written warnings.”

One investigation was also referred to an “executive director”, four investigations were referred to councillors, 13 investigations were “referred to another local authority” and four investigations were “ongoing” at the time of the report.

Of the four driver complaints referred to councillors, there was one written warning, one referral to the Driver Improvement Scheme, together with a written warning, one “deferral” and one “immediate revocation of licences to drive Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicles.”

The council’s executive director of economy and place also considered six cases in 2025 under “delegated powers”, resulting in the “immediate revocation” of licences “on the grounds of public safety.”

Two appeals were also presented against council decisions, with one “dismissed” and one “pending until a future date.”