Operator licensing should be retained as mandatory in respect of private hire vehicles.

Possible extensions of operator licensing

16.30 If operators continue to be licensed there are three main ways this could be applied:

(1) to retain operators only in respect of private hire vehicles;
(2) to extend the operator licence requirement to taxis in respect of all prebooked work; or
(3) to continue to allow taxis to take pre-booked journeys directly but provide that if they go through a third party, such third party must be licensed as an operator.

I was disappointed to note (unless I've missed it) that there was no reference to combining the ph drivers license with an operators license considering the idea is to deregulate rather than increase legislation

I was disappointed to note (unless I've missed it) that there was no reference to combining the ph drivers license with an operators license considering the idea is to deregulate rather than increase legislation

But wouldn't that mean additional cost and bureaucracy for the vast majority of drivers who don't want to act as an operator?

I'm quite happy with the Scottish way.

One or two man bands, be they taxi or PH, no ops license requirement, more than two taxi or PH on a firm, then ops license is required.

It's 4 or more licensed vehicles here for a booking office licence.

But wouldn't that mean additional cost and bureaucracy for the vast majority of drivers who don't want to act as an operator?

What additional costs & bureaucracy?

but if say an LA issued a joint driver's/operator's licence to every driver applying, would this entail any more compliance costs or time for either the driver or the LA assuming the driver had no need for an operator's licence under the normal scenario?

Unfortunately private hire operators' licences are not something I lie awake at night thinking about, but if say an LA issued a joint driver's/operator's licence to every driver applying, would this entail any more compliance costs or time for either the driver or the LA assuming the driver had no need for an operator's licence under the normal scenario?

It's not something I lie awake and think about either but it would involve less form filling and consequently less cost.

I don't see why a phd wouldn't want the ability to take their own pre booked work given the opportunity

and providing they didn't have to run around the houses so to speak to obtain the license, as is the current method

Why would it cost any more to administer phd than it does taxi drivers?

The normal scenario is enslavement of drivers to operators and that is not good

How? the form would be broadly the same

So you're saying there's no additional cost or bureaucracy entailed either for the individual or the LA, other than obviously another for an a fee?