ROUND THE COUNCILS SOLIHULL:
TOUGHER LICENSING REGIME PLANNED
Tougher rules for taxi and PH drivers who fall foul of Soli- hull’s licensing policy are set to be ap- proved in the new year. According to the Birmingham Mail, the council is about to consult on a new set of guidelines which set out sanc- tions for a range of misdemeanours. Councillors heard that there had been a national shift and now the emphasis was on erring on the side of public safety in any case where there was an ele- ment of uncertainty. With other authori- ties having over-
hauled their own policies, officers have said it is “imperative” that Solihull takes steps to ensure it doesn’t fall behind and end up with a more lax regime than else- where. Last month the licensing committee agreed to press ahead with a public consultation, with a view to finalising the new policy in Jan- uary and adopting it the following month. Solihull’s previous policy was adopted almost a decade ago and Caroline Naven, head of neighbourhood and regulatory services,
said the world was now “very different”, with concern in recent years about County Lines gangs and exploitation. There was also some discussion about appropriate punish- ments for the likes of drug possession, dishonesty and pri- vate hire vehicles illegally plying for hire. Officers advised that while the draft policy did tip the balance somewhat towards a more cau- tious approach, councillors would still have the leeway to be more lenient if they thought the case justified it.
Taxi drivers in Blae- nau Gwent could face a ten per cent increase in their licence fees next year. Councillors have agreed to ask the trade for their views on the potential of raising fees for new vehicles by £29.65,
to £324.65 from April 1, 2020. The increase is be- ing proposed after a “reduced fee” ag- reed for this year contributed to a predicted over- spend of £12,794 in the licensing de- partment which licensing bosses are
BLAENAU GWENT: DRIVERS FACE LICENCE FEE INCREASE
attempting to make up. But concerns were expressed over the impact of the pro- posed price rise on taxi drivers. Last year, taxi drivers asked for a review of the fares and were allowed to increase.
SOUTH RIBBLE: CONSULTATION ON NEW SIGNAGE FOR PHVS
It could soon be- come easier to distinguish between hackney cabs and PHVs in South Rib- ble. A public consulta- tion is to take place over plans to stan- dardise the type and positioning of sig- nage which should be carried by PHVs, amid concerns that the current system is confusing for pas- sengers. The new livery will also carry a warning that PH customers are not insured for their journey unless they have pre- booked the service. According to the Lancashire Evening Post, a meeting of South Ribble BC’s licensing panel heard that it is often difficult to tell the difference between the two types of vehicle. Currently, the only stipulations about PHVs is the require- ment for the vehicle to be described as a car rather than a taxi and to display a council-issued stick-
8
er on a door on the passenger and driv- er side. Under the new pro- posal, a redesigned council sticker would be applied to the rear doors on either side and the compa- ny’s own logos could be no more than 50 x 50cm in size – and would have to be approved by the council. A separate consulta- tion is also to be launched on reduc- ing the maximum age of taxis. Cur- rently, saloon ve- hicles can be up to eight years old, but there is an exemp- tion for WAVs which are allowed to run for up to 12 years. Licensing panel members heard that only a reduction in the maximum age of WAVs would be compatible with the borough’s commit- ment to improve air quality. The consultation will be based on a pro- posal to bring such vehicles in line with the rest of the fleet, so that none could
be older than eight years by January 2022. However, those taxis which provide disability transport alone – and are not available for general hire – would have an addi- tional 12 months to meet the proposed new regulations. Changes could also be coming to the level of tint allowed on taxi windows – because operators are finding it diffi- cult to source vehicles to meet the council’s criteria. At the moment, the “transparency level” of a taxi’s windows must be at least 70 per cent. But cab companies are to be consulted about whether they would like to see that reduced to 50 per cent – or as low as 30 per cent. If the latter level were ad- opted, taxis would have to be fitted with an approved CCTV system to compen- sate for the change. The planned consul- tation was to begin after the election.
JANUARY 2020
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