Twice as many taxis about in Cumberland since the council changed the rules Cumberland's licensed taxis have nearly doubled to 632 since the council changed its rules
Marra Mode is how we'd tell you this in the Co-op. Switch it off for the straight version.
There's nearly twice as many licensed taxis in Cumberland as two years ago. The council puts it down to its new rules, and the local knowledge test is suspended for now.
This one's for anybody who gets taxis about Workington, Whitehaven, Cockermouth, Maryport or anywhere in Cumberland, and anybody thinking of driving one.
Cumberland Council's figures show hackney carriages, the ones you can flag down or find on the rank, went from 226 in 2023/24 to 367 in 2025/26. Private hire, the ones you have to book, went from 100 to 265. Put together that's 632, up from 326, so near enough double.
Before Cumberland Council came along, Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle all had their own taxi rules. One set of rules for the lot came in on 1 April 2025, and the council reckons that, plus scrapping the old cap on hackney licences in Carlisle, is why there's more taxis now.
A council spokesperson said: "As part of the harmonised approach, the council adopted a broader assessment of driver suitability and public safety."
Drivers still need an enhanced DBS check, a medical, a driving assessment, right-to-work and national register checks, and an English test, spoken and written. The council told the News & Star it's seen nothing to say passengers are any less safe or drivers any worse, and it'll keep an eye on it.
The bit that's changed is the local knowledge test. The council's own website says it "is currently suspended". It says new drivers who haven't done it will have to sit it within two months of it coming back, and they'll write to everybody that applies to.
What you can do: check the driver's badge and the licence plate on the car before you get in. If you fancy driving, the step-by-step guide is on the Cumberland Council website.
Licensed hackney carriages in Cumberland rose from 226 to 367 and private hire vehicles from 100 to 265 between 2023/24 and 2025/26. The council links the rise to its single licensing policy, and its local knowledge test is currently suspended.
This is for anyone who books a taxi in Workington, Whitehaven, Cockermouth, Maryport or anywhere else in Cumberland, and for people thinking of becoming a driver.
Figures confirmed by Cumberland Council show the number of licensed hackney carriages, the taxis you can hail or find on a rank, rose from 226 in 2023/24 to 367 in 2025/26. Private hire vehicles, which have to be booked, rose from 100 to 265. Together that is 632 vehicles, up from 326.
Before Cumberland Council was formed, Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle each had their own taxi rules. A single Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy came into force on 1 April 2025. The council says that policy, including the removal of the old cap on hackney carriage licences in Carlisle, has helped to increase the number of taxis.
A council spokesperson said: "As part of the harmonised approach, the council adopted a broader assessment of driver suitability and public safety."
Applicants still need an enhanced DBS check, medical and driving assessments, right-to-work and national register checks, and spoken and written English testing. The council told the News & Star it has seen no evidence that passenger safety or driver standards have suffered, and that the arrangements will be kept under review.
The local knowledge test is the part that has changed. The council's own website says the knowledge test "is currently suspended". It says new drivers who have not taken it will have to complete one within two months of it being brought back, and that it will write to everyone affected.
What you can do: always check the driver's badge and the vehicle's licence plate before you get in. If you are applying for a licence, the step-by-step guide is on the Cumberland Council website.