![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754673491_509_w=1024.jpeg\")
Taxi drivers passed the petition in to the council last week <\/p>\nA survey to determine whether there are too many private hire cars in Edinburgh has been approved by Edinburgh councillors.<\/p>\n
It comes after a group of taxi drivers in the capital handed over a petition to city councillors last month, asking for a review to be carried out.<\/p>\n
The drivers had also asked for a pause to be placed on issuing new private hire licences while the survey was carried out.<\/p>\n
But at Friday\u2019s meeting of the Regulatory Committee, councillors did not back a Green group amendment that would have called for that.<\/p>\n
According to council regulatory services head Andrew Mitchell, tendering for a survey would take about 12 weeks, and data collection would take place in the first half of 2026.<\/p>\n
Taxi drivers passed the petition in to the council last week <\/p>\n
In a deputation to the committee, city taxi driver Keith Auld told councillors: \u201cWe believe every passenger deserves a professional journey. But we are undergoing unsustainable pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not healthy competition, it is over-saturation. And it is already having real consequences. We need fair, sustainable and regulated competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Auld and other city black cab drivers say that private hire drivers, many of whom carry out work for apps like Uber and Bolt, end up undercutting their trade.<\/p>\n
According to them, this comes down to the lower cost to buy and run a hire car, with the vehicles allowed for use as taxis being very expensive and requiring public hire insurance.<\/p>\n
In addition, fares for black cabs are set by the council, while Uber, Bolt and other private hire providers have no minimum charge.<\/p>\n
They also argued in their petition that due to the low incomes drivers get from those rideshare services, many of them work for dangerously long hours.<\/p>\n
Officers said that 2,982 private hire cars were presently operating in the capital, while 1,090 taxis were also running.<\/p>\n
Mr Auld said that three new private hire cars were being added in the city every day, and that the number would reach 4,000 \u201cin no time\u201d.<\/p>\n
After the survey is returned to councillors next year, they may consider putting a cap on the number of private hire cars allowed in the city.<\/p>\n
In the meeting, councillors were supportive of the idea of a survey, but the committee stopped short of supporting the temporary freeze on licence grants.<\/p>\n
Green councillor Susan Rae put forward an amendment that would have called for this, but Mr Mitchell said that if the committee voted for it, the law could be broken.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThere is no legal power to issue a moratorium. There would be no basis in law to refuse to consider an application on the basis of overprovision [without evidence].<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my view, an immediate moratorium is not something that would be competent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liberal Democrat councillor and committee convener Neil Ross endorsed his group\u2019s motion, which called for a survey to be conducted.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt would be helpful if we had a workshop for committee members to discuss other issues and elements of concern around the current numbers of private hire vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would be grateful if that were factored in. I\u2019m proposing that we proceed with the consultation and overprovision survey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m also proposing that officers are alert to concerns raised by all members of the trade who have issues around long working hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is a sensible way forward, it follows the guidance that we have been given by the Scottish Government, it is a legally robust way of approaching the question.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labour councillor Margaret Graham put forward an amendment for the city\u2019s administration, which asked that any survey look at the number of private hire cars parked in city streets.<\/p>\n
Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat said: \u201cI\u2019m probably alone in this committee in having very great nervousness about interfering in the market.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is an element with any cap that is introduced with numbers, the danger of creating protected markets.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m uncomfortable with that, from a political point of view, my natural mean is to be uncomfortable with protecting markets.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think the terms of the petition that has been brought here today, about the public safety element, is something that means we should probably consider this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t for one minute think this is going to produce the information that everyone else seems to think this is going to produce.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we\u2019re not going to know that unless we carry out an overprovision survey.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Labour group added the Green amendment to their addendum, and the Liberal Democrat group added a portion of the administration addendum to their amendment.<\/p>\n
Both positions were tied, and as convener, Cllr Ross made a tiebreaking vote that saw the Liberal Democrat position win out.<\/p>\n
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter<\/p>\n