ROUND THE COUNCILS HEREFORDSHIRE: NEW LICENSING POLICY FINALLY AGREED
Herefordshire’s long-standing wrangles over taxi licensing have finally been resolved with a new deal agreed between drivers and the county council. At a full council meeting on Friday 13 October, Herefordshire councillors voted unanimously to adopt a new taxi and private hire vehicle policy which will run until 2028, following changes in national guidelines on licensing made in 2020. Hereford HC and PH Association chairman, John Jones, who has campaigned to have drivers’ concerns taken into account, welcomed the move. The association’s members had unanimously backed the new policy earlier in the week, following “quite a lot of meetings” with council officials, he said. “We now have a good set of conditions that are fair on taxi drivers.” Previous sticking points had included a proposed “Knowledge” style test of the county’s routes and tight age limits on vehicles. In March last year around 50 taxi drivers protested at a council meeting where an earlier draft of the licensing policy was being debated, before staging a rally through Hereford in their vehicles. The drivers then threatened to call a strike last New Year when they felt their concerns still hadn’t been addressed. Herefordshire Council licenses around 900 owners of HCs and PHVs as well as dual drivers of both classes. Cllr Barry Durkin, Cabinet Member Roads and Regulatory Services, said: “The new policy has been created by a legal specialist following consultation with taxi trade members and meetings with both the local and national trade associations. Due consider- ation has been given to all comments received, and we’re pleased to have the support of the Taxi Association. The new policy further enhances the council’s ability to carry out suitability tests and ensures that all licence holders are informed about their safeguarding responsibilities. It also offers the opportunity to share information on issues surrounding CSE, modern slavery and illicit trade practices with other councils. The revised policy encourages different fuel types, including small two seat electric and hybrid vehicles. The implementation date will be two calendar months on to allow time to achieve compliance. For more information and to read the new Taxi Policy, please view the meeting papers:
https://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocum ents.aspx?CId=291&MId=8968&Ver=4
40
NUNEATON & BEDWORTH: POINTS SYSTEM TO BE INTRODUCED
Cabbies in Nuneaton and Bedworth will face ‘penalty points’ for rudeness and unclean vehicles. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has brought in the points system under changes to its Hackney Carriage, Private Hire Drivers, Operators and Vehicle Proprietor Licensing Policy and Vehicle Licensing Policy. The system will be used when there is no offence of breach of licence conditions and will replace the current ‘lighter touch’ enforcement actions that are used when complaints are made about drivers’ conduct. The council said: “Individual warnings for minor misdemeanours may not warrant a reconsideration of the driver’s ‘fitness and propriety’ to act as a driver but repeated warnings could result in more formal action.” It has said that using a penalty points scheme will improve the levels of compliance, it will not be a ‘punishment’ but a scheme to monitor drivers’ behaviour and conduct over a period to establish whether they remain ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence. The change will see penalty points given out for a number of misdemeanours such as: • Private hire drivers parking on taxi ranks • Hackney carriage drivers leaving hackney carriage vehicles unattended on ranks
• Failing to notify damage to vehicles within statutory timescales
• Rudeness to customers • Unnecessary prolongation of journeys • Unsatisfactory condition of vehicle • Failing to display badge • Failing to carry badge in vehicle • Providing requested documents late and many more
Under the new system, points could also be added where drivers are convicted through the courts of some driving offences such as speeding, crossing a red light, bald tyre, using a phone or smoking while driving. If a driver racks up 12 points, they will be referred to the council’s licensing committee to decide if any action needs to be taken. The points system was part of a range of changes proposed to the policy which were discussed by the council’s licensing committee at a meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday, October 17.
NOVEMBER 2023 PHTM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
