As a result of the 1985 transport act: -taxi licensing has been extended to cover all districts in england and wales. -district authorities may no longer control the number of licensed taxis 'as they think fit', but must address the problem of unmet demand if they wish to control the number of licences issued. -operators now have the opportunity to run their taxis like buses and carry passengers at separate fares in addition to their normal trade. A survey was undertaken to assess the impact of these changes in the opening stages of the 1985 act. The results indicate that the act has had a pronounced effect in certain districts, with an influx of new licences into the industry and some successful 'taxibus' schemes. However, in general, operators and districts alike have adopted conservative attitudes and are reluctant to innovate.
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