ROUND THE COUNCILS CARLISLE:
COVENTRY: CONSULTATION ON TAXI POLICY LAUNCHED
Carlisle City Council has updated its taxi policy - and residents can have their say on the new proposals. The council is asking both the public and businesses their opinion as part of a consultation exercise involving other authorities, including the police and existing licence holders. A copy of the draft policy is available on the council’s website:
www.carlisle.gov.uk/Council/Consultations-and-Open- Data/consultations It follows the publication of new guidance from the DfT, which replaced the existing guidance dating back to 2010. Changes to the existing policy are highlighted within the new document. Comments and suggestions will be included in a report that will go before the council's regulatory panel in August 2021. Any responses regarding the draft Licensing Policy should be submitted by emailing:
licensing@carlisle.gov.uk. The consultation runs until midnight 12th of July.
REDDITCH: CONSULTATION ON LICENSING REFORMS
Redditch Borough Council has launched a consultation on new draft policies for how it licences taxi and private hire vehicles, operators and drivers. The Redditch Advertiser reports that the council has been reviewing its policies in response to government guidance issued last year - the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards. Proposed changes include new applicants under- taking mandatory safeguarding training and licence holders registering with the DBS update service. Chair of Redditch Borough Council’s licensing committee, Cllr Salman Akbar said: “The consultation is now open to ev- eryone, including the public and trade, and we would love to get your feedback which will be used in decision making.” The council is also looking to update its policy on the licensing of vehicles used as taxis and PHVs in order to en- courage the take up of greener, less polluting vehicles where appropriate. The council’s portfolio-holder for licensing, Cllr Nyear Nazir said: “These are very important changes which will mean im- provements for our customers, drivers and also to the envi- ronment so it’s vitally important that we hear from as many people as possible to ensure that our new policies do this.” Full details of the draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, as well as the survey can be found at:
redditchbc.gov.uk/consultations
48 VIEWS SOUGHT ON NEW TAXI POLICY
On 21 April 2021, approval was given by Coventry City Coun- cil’s Cabinet Member for City Services to consult with providers and users of taxis and PHVs, alongside residents and key stakeholders, on proposed changes to the current policy and practices followed by the council to meet the standards set out by the Statutory Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Standards’ published by the DfT prior to implementation. Some of the standards highlighted in the DfT document are already covered in the council’s current processes and the consultation highlights the recommendations that would require amendment to current policy and practice. Coventry Council would like to hear the views of the trade and the public by taking part in the survey found at:
https://bit.ly/3yEdZRL The survey will close 18 August 2021.
SOUTH AYRSHIRE: TAXIS AND PHVS CAN BE LICENSED LONGER
Older taxi and PHVs can be licenced for longer in South Ayr- shire because of the pandemic, councillors decided. According to the Ayr Advertiser, under a temporary rule, taxis can have a licence for up to 12 years while PHVs are authorised to operate for eight. Normally taxi licensing ends when the cars reach 11 years and seven years for PHVs. Ruling Labour and SNP councillors sitting on the Leadership Panel approved the extension on 27 April. The licensing extension will run from May 1 to April 30, 2022. Labour Councillor Philip Saxton, a private hire driver, said: “If drivers need to buy a new car they have an extension of a year before they have to replace it.” He said it may be considered for further extension beyond next April depending on what happens regarding the situa- tion with the pandemic. Calls for the new operating age limit for cabs were made at a South Ayrshire Taxi and Private Hire Operators Forum in February. A council paper submitted to the Leadership Panel said members of the forum stated that the “trade had been very adversely affected by the pandemic and that in the past year most taxi and private hire vehicles had not traded as normal and had not covered the number of miles they would nor- mally have anticipated.” The paper added that “licence holders with vehicles, which were approaching the eleven-and seven-year age limit when vehicles would normally have to be replaced would struggle to be able to afford finance at the current time.”
JUNE 2021
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