ROUND THE COUNCILS ROCHDALE:
DRIVER UNIFORMS CONSIDERED
Rochdale council is exploring the possibility of introducing a dress code for taxi drivers, an initiative proposed by highways boss Cllr Shah Wazir. The idea, which was discussed during a recent council cabinet meeting, is aimed at improving the town's image by ensuring that cabbies, who are often the first point of contact for visitors, present a smarter appearance. “When people visiting the borough arrive at the train station for example, usually taxi drivers are their first point of contact. First impressions count,” Cllr Wazir stated. He questioned whether it was possible “to have a dress code for taxi drivers so they can be easily recognised?” A council officer noted that while the idea had been mentioned previously, no official progress had been made, but assured the committee that the team would look into it. The meeting also saw the approval of a new taxi emissions policy, part of the wider Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan. The new policy mandates that by August 31, 2030, all licensed taxis and private hire vehicles must meet a minimum standard of Euro 6 for diesel cars or Euro 4 for petrol cars. Currently, 345 out of 1,852 vehicles in Rochdale do not comply with these standards. Council bosses reported that the taxi trade has welcomed the plan, as it could open up access to £8 million in government funding across Greater Manchester to help drivers upgrade their vehicles.
GUILDFORD: SUCCESSFUL SECRET SHOPPER SURVEY
A “secret shopper” survey commissioned by Guildford BC found that the borough’s taxi and PH services are providing a high standard of service to the public. However, the report also highlighted several areas that need attention. The investigation, conducted by an external contractor, evaluated drivers on profess- ionalism, vehicle condition, and compliance with licensing rules. The key findings were largely positive: l Professionalism and courtesy: the majority of drivers were described as professional and polite.
l Vehicle standards: all vehicles were found to be clean and well-maintained.
l Route knowledge: drivers generally had “good local 40
knowledge,” with minimal reliance on satnavs.
l Compliance: the survey found “little evidence of overcharging” and confirmed that licence plates were clearly displayed. The survey found a few areas needing improvement. Some drivers failed to clearly display their ID badges or tariff cards, making them difficult for passengers to see. The report also noted that HCVs were “difficult to access at certain times and locations,” particularly on weekday mornings and late nights. Also, instances of too many taxis at ranks, and the misuse of ranks by taxis for non-public hire purposes were observed. Further, drivers did not routinely offer assistance to passengers with visible physical impairments. A small number of tests were also conducted to check for illegal “plying for hire” by PHVs. In all cases, the drivers declined to accept unauthorised fares, which the council saw as a “positive indication of compliance.”
INVERCLYDE: FOREIGNERS CRIMINAL CHECKS REVIEWED
Inverclyde councillors are set to review the rules on criminal record checks for taxi driver applicants who were born outside the UK, with officials noting an increase in applications from foreign nationals. A report presented to the council’s “general purposes board” on August 13 highlighted that while a Police Scotland criminal record check is mandatory, it “does not reveal details of any convictions outside the UK.” The current policy requires applicants to provide a criminal record check for any country where they have lived for six months or more. However, the report states that “applicants from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan etc. have told licensing staff they are unable to obtain a criminal record check from their country of origin due to the conflict within such countries.” The council’s licensing staff have faced “increased challenges from both applicants and their advisers” when rejecting these incomplete applications. The report proposes three options to address this: Option 1: maintain the status quo; Option 2: case-by- case consideration. Option 3: waive the requirement for long-term UK residents. The report also mentions that at least 12 other Scottish councils have specific policies on this issue; e.g. Edinburgh’s policy allows an exception for applicants who have lived in the UK since childhood and cannot get a criminal record check from their home country for the period they were a minor.
SEPTEMBER 2025 PHTM
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