RECOMMENDATIONS


as Rochdale, Oxford, Newcastle and Rother- ham, all licensed vehicles must be fitted with CCTV (visual and audio) subject to strict data protection measures. Licensing authorities must use their existing power to mandate this ahead of the requirement’s inclusion in nation- al minimum standards.


To support greater consistency in licensing, potentially reduce costs and assist greater out of area compliance, the Government must set out in guidance the standards and specifica- tions of CCTV systems for use in taxis and PHVs. These must then be introduced on a mandatory basis as part of national minimum standards.


RECOMMENDATION 18


As Government and local authorities would benefit from a reduction in crime in licensed vehicles both should consider ways in which the costs to small businesses of installing CCTV can be mitigated.


RECOMMENDATION 19


National standards must set requirements to assist the public in distinguishing between taxis, PHVs and unlicensed vehicles. These should require drivers to have on display (e.g. a clearly visible badge or arm-band providing) relevant details to assist the passengers in identifying that they are appropriately licensed e.g. photograph of the driver and licence type i.e. immediate hire or pre-booked only.


All PHVs must be required to provide informa- tion to passengers including driver photo ID and the vehicle licence number, in advance of a journey. This would enable all passengers to share information with others in advance of their journey. For passengers who cannot receive the relevant information via digital means this information should be available through other means before passengers get into the vehicle.


RECOMMENDATION 20


All drivers must be subject to enhanced DBS and barred lists checks. Licensing authorities should use their existing power to mandate this ahead of inclusion as part of national min- imum standards.


All licensing authoritiesmust require drivers to subscribe to the DBS update service and DBS checks must be carried out at a minimum of every six months. Licensing authorities must use their existing power tomandate this ahead of inclusion as part of national standards.


RECOMMENDATION 21


Government must issue guidance, as a matter of urgency, that clearly specifies convictions


OCTOBER 2018


that it considers should be grounds for refusal or revocation of driver licences and the period for which these exclusions should apply. Licensing authorities must align their existing policies to this ahead of inclusion in national minimum standards.


RECOMMENDATION 22 RECOMMENDATION 29


The Quality Assurance Framework and Com- mon Law Police Disclosure Provisions must be reviewed to ensure as much relevant informa- tion of conduct as well as crimes, by taxi and PHV drivers (and applicants) is disclosed ensuring that licensing authorities are informed immediately of any relevant incidents.


RECOMMENDATION 23


All licensing authorities must use the Nation- al Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) database of drivers who have been refused or had revoked taxi or PHV driver licence. All those cases must be recorded, and the database checked for all licence applications and renewals. Licensing authorities must record the reasons for any refusal, suspension or revocation and provide those to other authorities if requested. The Government must, as a matter of urgency, bring forward legislation to mandate this alongside a national licensing database (recommenda- tion 24).


RECOMMENDATION 24


As a matter of urgency Government must establish a mandatory national database of all licensed taxi and PHV drivers, vehicles and operators, to support stronger enforcement.


RECOMMENDATION 25


Licensing authorities must use their existing powers to require all drivers to undertake safeguarding / child sexual abuse and exploitation awareness training including the positive role that taxi/PHV drivers can play in spotting and reporting signs of abuse and neglect of vulnerable passengers This require- ment must form part of future national minimum standards.


RECOMMENDATION 26


All individuals involved in the licensing deci- sion making process (officials and councillors) must be obliged to undertake appropriate training. The content of the training must form part of national minimum standards.


RECOMMENDATION 27


Government must review the assessment pro- cess of passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) licensed drivers and/or consideration of the appropriate boundary between taxis/PHVs and public service vehicles (PSVs).


Licensing authorities that have low levels of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in their taxi and PHV fleet should ascertain if there is unmet demand for these vehicles. In areas with unmet demand, licensing authori- ties should consider how existing powers could be used to address this, including mak- ing it mandatory to have a minimum number of their fleet that are WAVs. As a matter of urgency the Government’s Best Practice Guidance should be revised to make appro- priate recommendations to support this objective.


RECOMMENDATION 31


Licensing authorities which have not already done so should set up lists of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in compliance with s.167 of the Equality Act 2010, to ensure that passengers receive the protection which this provides.


RECOMMENDATION 32


Licensing authorities should use their existing enforcement powers to take strong action where disability access refusals are reported, to deter future cases. They should also ensure their systems and processes make it as easy as possible to report disability access refusals.


RECOMMENDATION 33


The low pay and exploitation of some, but not all, drivers is a source of concern. Licensing authorities should take into account any evi- dence of a person or business flouting employment law, and with it the integrity of the national living wage, as part of their test of whether that person or business is fit and proper to be a PHV or taxi operator.


RECOMMENDATION 34


Government should urgently review the evi- dence and case for restricting the number of hours that taxi and PHV drivers can drive, on the same safety grounds that restrict hours for bus and lorry drivers.


69


All licensing authorities should use their exist- ing powers to require that the taxi and PHV drivers they license undergo Disability Aware- ness and equality training. This should be mandated in national minimum standards.


RECOMMENDATION 30 RECOMMENDATION 28


Licensing authorities must require that all drivers are able to communicate in English orally and in writing to a standard that is required to fulfil their duties, including in emergency and other challenging situations.


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