ROUND THE COUNCILS CRAVEN:
TWO MOT TESTING TENDERS FINALLY RECEIVED
Two MoT testing stations have put tenders forward to test Craven taxis and private hire vehicles. The Craven Herald reports that at a recent meeting of the district council’s licensing committee it was heard that not one of the 49 testing stations contacted within the Craven district had responded to a request for tenders and that there was only a matter of days left until the deadline of January 31. The licensing manager has since said that two tenders were submitted before the deadline and are now being con- sidered. The contract includes enhanced licensed vehicle checks (ELVC). Currently vehicles over three years of age must have an ELVC every six months.
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE: DRIVER HITS OUT AT MEDICAL PROPOSALS
A Bonhill taxi driver has hit out over plans forcing cabbies to undergo medicals confirming their fitness to drive – labelling it “another level of bureaucracy”. According to the Daily Record, West Dunbartonshire Council is currently consulting over the proposals, which would see those over the age of 45 requiried to provide a medical certificate. Any costs would be met by the applicant or licence holder, with the document required to be submitted at the time of application for grant or renewal of a licence. The local authority says the policy would “ensure the safety of the general public and paying customers of licensed taxi and private hire car vehicles”. They say it follows recommendations from the Scottish Government and the adoption of similar policies by most councils. But Robert Bainbridge, a taxi driver for 25 years, says the plans should be abandoned. He said: “This proposal adds to the burden of costs for operators and drivers on top of badge, plate, car repairs and insurance costs. “The DVLA already requires all drivers to inform them of any medical condition which would affect their ability to drive. If this is good enough for DVLA then surely it is good enough for local authorities. "This would also create a problem for doctors and medics who would carry out these assessments which would be time consuming. Appointments would not be readily available for drivers. When it is known that these certificates are compulsory, prices would rocket. It’s another level of bureaucracy.”
He added that the extra costs of obtaining a medical certificate were not welcome while many taxi drivers were trying to recover from the effects of the pandemic. It is proposed that from January 1, 2023, all existing licence
MARCH 2022
holders and any new applicants would have to submit evi- dence that they meet the DVLA Group 2 medical standards. Certificates would be required every five years for those from the age of 45 and annually for drivers over 65. The certificate would then be presented at the point of application either for renewal or grant and then again at the point of application following the relevant age trigger being reached. Officers have written to drivers to notify them of the proposal and any feedback received will be shared with members at a licensing committee meeting in March.
WEST LANCASHIRE: LICENSING CHANGES INC. CCTV CONSULTATION
West Lancashire Borough Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy has been reviewed regularly since it came into force in 2010, most recently in June 2019. There are several changes that the council must make, that have been incorporated into the policy. They are seeking feedback from customers to ensure the additions to the policy are clear and easy to understand. The implementation of the DfT Statutory Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Standards requires the Policy to be updated to ensure the council’s continued compliance with the requirements. The Government guidance also highlights the provision of CCTV in licensed vehicles. There are many factors that need to be considered to ensure the design, specification and operation of any CCTV system is proportionate, justified and pragmatic. Therefore any decision to mandate CCTV in licensed vehicles cannot be made lightly or quickly. Firstly, the council wants to understand if there are local circumstances which indicate that the mandatory installa- tion of CCTV in licensed vehicles would have either a positive or an adverse overall effect on the safety of taxi and PHV users, including children or vulnerable adults, and takes into account potential privacy issues. They are therefore seeking initial views from the taxi drivers and operators, the public and all stakeholders and partner agencies. All feedback will be used to decide if this is a course of action that the council would want to take. If so, more information will be obtained and further consul- tations carried out to provide greater detail before any final decision to mandate CCTV is made. Councillor Gareth Dowling, portfolio holder for Com- munities and Community Safety, said: “It is worth emphasising that the council has not yet taken a view on this, all responses will help direct us on whether and if so how we proceed.” To view the consultation and give your opinions, click here:
https://letstalkwestlancashire.uk.engagementhq.com The consultation is running until April 28 2022.
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