WOLVERHAMPTON: PHV LICENSING TO TIGHTEN UP
ROUND THE COUNCILS PENDLE:
WORKING GROUP LOOKS AT AGE POLICIES
Wolverhampton Council is taking steps to curb the number of private hire drivers it licenses following a series of sexual abuse cases involving licensed taxis and private hire vehicles The council’s decision comes after a significant increase in the number of licensed drivers over the past decade. In 2014, there were around 1,200 licensed drivers in Wolverhampton. However, following regulatory changes, this figure soared to over 45,000, with drivers operating in towns as far away as Blackpool and Southampton. Concerned about the potential reputational damage associated with licensed private hire vehicles being implicated in sexual abuse cases, the council is now seeking to deter new applications. A report for the council’s latest meeting of its Audit and Risk Committee on 23 September 2024, highlighted the correlation between the number of licensees and the likelihood of serious incidents. The report also referenced high-profile child sexual exploitation scandals in Rotherham and Telford that involved private hire drivers. It noted that licensed vehicles can provide a “camouflage” for trafficking vulnerable individuals and grooming activities. In response to these concerns, the council is implementing measures to reduce the number of applications it receives, including requiring drivers to attend in person for licensing, rather than allowing online applications. Changes following the Deregulation Act 015, coincided with major improvements in how Wolverhampton licensed drivers, making it one of the fastest services in the country. While in some areas it could take up to four months to get a licence, Wolverhampton’s digital system was fast and efficient which caused a boom in applications. As numbers rose, the extra income was used for more upgrades and to cut charges – making the service even more attractive. To maintain high safeguarding and safety standards, the council is spending the cash on a system which checks every driver’s DBS certificate status every day, airport style facial recognition software to process new applicants and officers carrying out hundreds of safety checks in all parts of the country.
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Pendle Borough Council is exploring the possibility of revising its taxi licensing policies to implement stricter standards for vehicle ages. In an effort to improve overall vehicle safety and standards, the council's Taxi Licensing Committee has been tasked with forming a working group to examine the age-related policies of other local authorities. This initiative comes in the wake of ongoing discus- sions and debates surrounding the best practices for enhancing taxi and private hire services in the area. Recent spot checks conducted by the council revealed "unacceptably high failure rates" among taxis, leading to recommendations for stricter regulations, including mandatory mobile phone app usage for inspections as well as driver training. The Taxi Licensing Committee is currently working on an action plan that includes addressing issues such as vehicle accessibility for disabled passengers, enforcing licensing rules, driver training, installing CCTV in taxis and exploring options for ride-sharing and separate fare payments. Earlier this summer, the committee also considered a minor amendment to the council’s taxi licensing policy regarding the reinstatement of licences for drivers whose previous applications have been refused or revoked. The proposed change would introduce more flexibility for re-applications, allowing them to be considered under certain circumstances. The decision to suspend or revoke a driver's licence is currently delegated to a senior council officer in consultation with the committee’s chairman. The original policy required a waiting period of 12 months before drivers could re-apply. However, some councillors advocated for a more nuanced approach, allowing for exceptions in cases where the driver’s circumstances warranted it. While licensing officers and some councillors expressed satisfaction with the existing system, they acknowledged the potential benefits of a minor adjustment. The taxi committee supported the minor change which was fed back to the full council.
NOVEMBER 2024 PHTM
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