12/02/2026
An Open Letter to All Thanet Taxi Drivers and Operators
Dear Colleagues,
For the last two months I have been fighting Thanet Council’s vehicle age policy almost entirely on my own.
The Freedom of Information response has now confirmed what many of us feared:
The Council carried out no full impact assessment
They hold no data on how many drivers will be forced out of work
They have no projections on fare rises, lost school runs, airport transfers or tourism impact
Their Equality Impact Assessment is little more than a meaningless tick-box exercise
This policy will destroy livelihoods. Replacement vehicles cost £30,000–£45,000 — money most drivers simply cannot find on Thanet’s lowest fares in the country.
I have issued a formal Letter Before Claim and am preparing judicial review proceedings. But one person cannot carry this fight for the whole trade.
If you want to protect your income, your business, and the future of private hire in Thanet, the time to act is now.
I am calling on every driver and operator who is worried about this policy to:
Contact me today at [email protected] if you are willing to support a group claim or provide a witness statement
Share this letter so others see what is really happening
Write to the council and your local councillors demanding grandfathering of existing compliant vehicles
We are much stronger together than fighting alone.
Silence will be taken as acceptance.
The time for action is now.
Andrew Gifford
