Cornwall Council are proposing to remove the six ‘taxi zones’ in Cornwall.
They present the issue as “legacy legislation”, claiming that removing the zones will “make things simpler for passengers”, “improve taxi availability and choice”, and “create a fairer and more efficient system.”
Or at least, that’s how it’s being sold.
What the Council hasn’t done is explain how this will actually work — especially for Cornwall’s rural communities.
The consultation materials are thin on evidence, light on detail, and avoid any discussion of the real impacts on taxi availability, pricing, and rural service levels.
They rely solely on Department for Transport national guidance — written for cities and general use, not for Cornwall’s unique geography and transport challenges.
The truth is, this may simplify things for council officers, but it will be catastrophic for the rural residents who make up 65% of Cornwall — that’s the hard reality.
They intend to push this proposal through on the basis of minimal information and misleading optimism, whilst hiding behind ‘official guidance’ and ‘best practice’ rather than honest debate, or any concern about its real-world consequences on the residents of Cornwall.
To give meaningful feedback to the Council’s consultation, operators, councillors, and residents first need clear answers to the real questions. These questions were put to officers on 06/10/2025, with a request for a full response by 20/10/2025. I’ll share the response when we have it:
