The government’s proposal to move responsibility for licensing to local transport authorities will not apply in London, where Transport for London already acts as the licensing authority. London’s recent experience of licensing backlogs demonstrates that this reform will not, at a stroke, solve resourcing and efficiency issues. The department must consider what 49 can be learned from this experience about the operational and resourcing conditions that need to be in place if licensing responsibilities are to be exercised efficiently and reliably at a larger strategic authority level. (Recommendation, Paragraph 87)