Have your say on taxi de-zoning

30 October 2023

A consultation has been launched to review the existing taxi zones across North Northants.

Earlier in 2023, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive approved a consultation to consider whether the four current zones should be retained or replaced with one zone for North Northamptonshire.

When North Northamptonshire Council was formed, for the purposes of taxi licensing, the previous former authority area zones were retained: Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough.

Each zone continues to licence its own taxis and drivers as well as operate to the byelaws currently in existence for that former area. It also means that a driver and vehicle wishing to operate across the whole of North Northamptonshire would need to obtain four licences.

Since North Northamptonshire Council came into existence, we have been looking at all legacy systems across the four areas and reviewing, where necessary.

The proposal is to remove the former authority area hackney carriage zones and to replace them with one hackney carriage zone for North Northants. It makes sense to look and consider whether this a viable option, but there are also a variety of elements to consider and to do this - we need the views of residents and stakeholders, including those who use taxis and drivers. This is why this consultation is so important and all responses will be carefully considered.Cllr David Brackenbury, the council’s Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration (which covers taxi licensing)

We recognise that changes like this can have an impact on everyone, which is why I am pleased we are now in a position to consult on the proposals. Once the 12-week consultation has concluded, responses will be gathered together and presented to the relevant committee for their consideration, before the Executive make a final decision.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council

Your voice matters…

Consultation and engagement activities can be completed online via North Northamptonshire Council’s Consultation and Engagement Hub and the taxi de-zoning consultation will be open until 21 January 2024.

Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or write to North Northamptonshire Council (Kettering Licensing), Bowling Green Road, Kettering, NN15 7QX