...COUNCILS WEST LINDSEY:
SAFETY PROPOSALSWINAPPROVAL
Taxi safety in the Gainsborough area could be improved after plans to change the way operators are licensed were an- nounced. West Lindsey District Council is considering introducing annual checks for operators, in addition to the
existing three-year licences. Cllr Jessie Milne, chair- man of the authority’s licensing and regulato- ry committee, told the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph: “We think that checks should be done more frequently and that is why we are proposing that
the OLDHAM: EXTRATESTSTOSTOPOUTOFTOWNERS
A number of taxi driv- ers are working in Oldham having paid for a cheaper licence in a borough with less stringent conditions. The council says it is aware of a small num- ber of hackney drivers from Rossendale who are working in Old- ham as private hire drivers. It costs £400 for a hack- ney vehicle licence and £342 for a private hire vehicle licence in Old- ham, compared with £200 for either
in
Rossendale. A driver’s badge costs £105 in Oldham and £79 to renew annually, compared with £120 and £85 respectively
year this has been a growing
national in
Rossendale. Drivers licensed in Rossendale undergo the usual medical, fit- ness to drive and criminal
record
checks. But Oldham has extra conditions which test a driver’s local knowledge and road safety aptitude. Cllr Jean Stretton, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, told the Oldham Evening Chronicle: “We are aware there are a small number of hack- ney licensed cab drivers from Ros- sendale who are work- ing as private hire drivers in Oldham. “Following a High Court decision last
issue. It is not illegal for a driver to take a hackney licence in one authority and then operate as a private hire driver in another. but we have been working with Ros- sendale Council on this matter. “It is important to reas- sure the public that these drivers will all still have been sub- jected to standard tests in Rossendale to confirm that they are medically fit and able to drive, and have undergone criminal records checks. “Here in Oldham we subject our private hire drivers to extra tests in order to keep standards as high as possible. “If any of these vehi- cles is found to be breaking the law in our borough - for example by having defective tyres - we can and will not hesitate to act accordingly. “Any contravention of the terms of
the
licence would, howev- er, have to be dealt with under the terms and conditions it was issued under
in
Rossendale.” Meanwhile,
council
chiefs are proposing new rules for cabbies to be tested on their ability to speak Eng- lish. They are seeking
FEBRUARY 2012 PHTM
views from users of pri- vate hire and hackney carriage vehicles on the verbal communica- tion policy for licensed drivers. It follows com- plaints from members of the public and grow- ing concerns over language barriers. Currently new appli- cants are required to take a driven and two written tests to see if they are suitable to become a licensed driver. But the council wants to hear the views of residents
as to
whether new appli- cants, where English is not their first lan- guage, should under- take a written, verbal or combined test. Aside from any internal measure the council may introduce, there are prescribed training courses available to assist those requiring further support. Cllr Fida Hussain, chairman of
the
Licensing Committee, told the Oldham Evening Chronicle: “Oldham Council is committed to ensuring all
deliver a high stan- dard of
licensed drivers service,
especially when it comes to communi- cating with residents.” A decision on any pol- icy change will be made at the March meeting of the Licens- ing Committee.
detailed checks should still be carried out every three years. “But
in the years
between the major licence applications, checks should also be carried out.” Any change to the existing scheme,
if
passed, would come into force in April.
BIRMINGHAM: ONE STRIKE (TOOMANY POINTS)ANDYOU’REOUT
Private hire drivers caught plying for hire on
Birmingham’s
streets face losing their licence for a first offence following a meeting of city licens- ing chiefs. The
zero-tolerance
policy has been adopt- ed in a bid to improve the safety of passen- gers and protect trade for Birmingham’s army of legitimate black cab drivers. And it follows the fail- ure of a trial six- months’ suspension of licence punishment to cut the numbers of PHVs illegally picking up passengers on the road. In the year before the trial 37 drivers were caught plying for hire, but despite the threat of six months’ suspen- sion the total rose to 87 cases. Licensing
officials
believe these cases are the just the ‘tip of the iceberg’, with many hundreds going undetected. So the licensing committee has now voted to revoke the licence for a first offence. Cllr Bruce Lines, who chaired an investiga- tion into the issue, told the Birmingham Mail: “The new policy seems to be dracon- ian, but it has been developed in full con- sultation with Birming- ham taxi drivers. “Plying for hire is still a major problem and the current policy just isn’t working to deal with it. A stronger deterrent is needed.” According to a survey on the council’s web- site, 76 per cent of respondents,
both
public and taxi drivers, were in favour of the z e r o - t o l e r a n c e approach. But Cllr Majid Mah- mood was opposed to the upgrade. He said: “It seems unduly harsh for a first
offence. We could be putting more and more drivers on the dole at a time when unemployment
is
already high,” he added. Also, a leading city councillor is urging the courts to dish out driving bans to dan- gerous private hire drivers who stack up as many as 18 points and still keep their licence. According to the Birm- ingham Post, poten- tially “deadly” drivers are driving around the Midlands after Magis- trates allowed them to keep their licences. Figures released by the DVLA under the Freedom of Informa- tion Act revealed that 295 motorists who live in the region with 12 points or more still being allowed behind the wheel - in spite of guidance to courts that only under “exception- al”
should
circumstances they
be
allowed to continue. Two of
the drivers
have amassed 20 points. Now Cllr Lynda Clin- ton, lead member on Birmingham
City
Council’s Licensing Committee, has spo- ken out about
taxi
drivers with excessive points. She told the Post: “I would personally like to see the courts get tough with private hire drivers who accumu- late more than 12 points. “They know when they break the law that their job is at stake. But they claim hardship. “If we make a decision to suspend or revoke the licence they can appeal, which may be successful and will cost the taxpayer even more money.” But a spokesman for the Birmingham Pri- vate Hire Association said the courts do and
should continue to allow some drivers the chance to continue working. He said: “It is right that a driver who is caught driving without insur- ance has his DVLA and council licence taken away. “But if they are caught a number of times for not wearing seat belts or speeding then I think they should be allowed to continue driving.” A spokesman for Birm- ingham City Council said: “Just because a court allows someone to keep a licence for the sake of their liveli- hood,
it does not
necessarily follow that licensing will allow them to keep their licence. “For example the com- mittee’s policy is that any driver found guilty of plying for hire will automatically
face
licence suspension action, regardless of whether they are at 12 points or whether a court has said they can keep their DVLA licence, or not. “The committee also looks at
far more
issues than just traffic offence history in con- sidering what action to take, for example a driver may have a his- tory
of
points (and therefore applied at court) but add to weight of evi- dence
offences which don’t necessarily
licence attract
supporting
decision to revoke or suspend the licence.” Road safety charity Brake spokesman Ri- chard Coteau said: “Drivers who repeat- edly flout traffic laws have shown complete disregard for the lives of other road users. “They have had ample opportunity to desist breaking the law before reaching 12 points and facing dis- qualification.”
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