..IN THE
NEWS...IN THE NEWS PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO
ROTHERHAM COUNCIL’S TAXI LICENSING POLICY
Rotherham Council is set to consult on changes to its cur- rent taxi licensing policy to ensure licensed drivers, vehicles and opera- tors in the borough continue to be of the highest stan- dard. The Council’s Cabi- net will consider plans to extend the storage capacity of in-car CCTV sys- tems, incentivise the use of ultra-low emission vehicles and improve vehicle signage so the pub- lic can more easily recognise a Rother- ham licensed taxi and driver. Cabinet Member for
Waste, Roads and Community Safety, Councillor Emma Hoddinott, said: “The council’s taxi licensing policy has come a long way since changes were introduced in 2015 and we are commit- ted to further im- proving taxi licens- ing for customers, drivers and opera- tors. “We already have strong regulations in place, but there are areas that could be improved. Some of the changes sug- gested have been put forward follow- ing discussions with drivers and opera- tors across the
borough.” Other recommenda- tions put forward include: • Ensuring staff with access to booking records or respon- sible for dis- patching vehicles undergo appropri- ate safeguarding checks
• Clearer signage for passengers who want to activate audio recording
• More options for the way drivers display their badge when on duty
• Changes to driver medical assess- ments meaning that, with prior agreement from the Licensing Man-
ager, a medical assessment can be carried out by a GP practice other than the driver’s own.
• Strengthening the council’s
ap-
proach to equality and diversity to ensure that both taxi operators and customers are pro- tected from hate crime
• Refresher training and assessment on a drivers’ knowl- edge, driving ability and approach to safeguarding vul- nerable passen- gers to take place when a licence is renewed.
The Council intro- duced a Hackney
Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Poli- cy in July 2015 which is widely regarded as the gold standard for other local authori- ties to benchmark against in relation to taxi and private hire licensing. Subject to Cabinet approval on 23 December, the new measures were to be put out to formal consultation with taxi users, drivers and operators. Following the con- sultation period, a final version of the policy will be pre- sented back to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration.
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NPHTA comment; Some might say that the counci’s position is a “stable door - horse has bolted” action, following the disastrous events of a few years ago. However, it is to Rotherham’s credit that they have dras- tically raised their standards and are now raising them even higher, with the safety of both pas- sengers and drivers in mind. Further, with full consulta- tion the trade has the opportunity to offer their input - and they must do so without fail. ‘Not bothering’ is not an option.
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