THE Forest of Dean has one of the lowest numbers of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles per head in England, new figures have revealed.

Department for Transport statistics show there were just 58 licensed vehicles serving the district’s population of 89,753 as of April 1, 2026.

That is equivalent to only 0.6 vehicles for every 1,000 residents, placing the Forest among areas highlighted as potential rural “taxi deserts”.

The district’s total comprised just six licensed taxis and 52 private hire vehicles spread across the Forest of Dean.

The figures were highlighted by taxi industry publication TaxiPoint, which warned rural communities can be left with few transport options when buses and other services stop running.

Across England, there were around 342,300 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles, up nine per cent compared with 2024.

However, the national rise was driven by private hire vehicles, which increased by 13 per cent to 290,000, while the number of taxis fell seven per cent to 52,300.

There was also a significant divide between urban and rural areas.

Urban areas close to major towns or cities had 7.6 licensed vehicles per 1,000 residents, compared with 1.9 in intermediate rural areas near major towns.

TaxiPoint said the situation could be even more difficult in practice because licensing figures do not show whether vehicles are actually available locally at particular times.

Vehicles registered in one council area can operate elsewhere, while some may be committed to school or contract work.

The publication argued taxis and private hire vehicles should be treated as an important part of rural public transport, particularly for people without access to a car.

It said future licensing reforms should consider evening availability, unmet demand, wheelchair-accessible vehicles and cross-border journeys to avoid reducing already limited rural provision across communities in the wider Forest area.