Taxi Driver Online

Yesterday the House of Lords completed the “report Stage” of the Deregulation Bill and it now moves on to the “Third Report” stage.



10 Taxis and private hire vehicles: duration of licences

(1) The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 is amended as
follows.

(2) In section 53 (drivers’ licences for hackney carriages and private hire vehicles)—

(a) in subsection (1)(a), for “for such lesser period as the district council may specify in such licence” substitute “for such lesser period, specified in the licence, as the district council think appropriate in the circumstances of the case”;

(b) in subsection (1)(b), for “for such lesser period as they may specify in such licence” substitute “for such lesser period, specified in the licence, as the district council think appropriate in the circumstances of the case”.

(3) In section 55 (licensing of operators of private hire vehicles), for subsection (2)

Subsitute -

(2) Every licence granted under this section shall remain in force for five years or for such lesser period, specified in the licence, as the district council think appropriate in the circumstances of the case.”

11 Private hire vehicles: sub-contracting

In the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, after section 55
insert—

55A Sub-contracting by operators

(1) A person licensed under section 55 who has in a controlled district accepted a booking for a private hire vehicle may arrange for another person to provide a vehicle to carry out the booking if—

(a) the other person is licensed under section 55 in respect of the
same controlled district and the sub-contracted booking is
accepted in that district;

(b) the other person is licensed under section 55 in respect of
another controlled district and the sub-contracted booking is
accepted in that district;

(c) the other person is a London PHV operator and the sub-
contracted booking is accepted at an operating centre in
London; or

(d) the other person accepts the sub-contracted booking in
Scotland.

(2) It is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (1) whether or not sub-contracting is permitted by the contract between the person licensed under section 55 who accepted the booking and the person who made the booking.

(3) Where a person licensed under section 55 in respect of a controlled district is also licensed under that section in respect of another controlled district, subsection (1) (so far as relating to paragraph (b) of that subsection) and section 55B(1) and (2) apply as if each licence were held by a separate person.

(4) Where a person licensed under section 55 in respect of a controlled district is also a London PHV operator, subsection (1) (so far as relating to paragraph (c) of that subsection) and section 55B(1) and (2) apply as if the person holding the licence under section 55 and the London PHV operator were separate persons.

(5) Where a person licensed under section 55 in respect of a controlled district also makes provision in the course of a business for the invitation or acceptance of bookings for a private hire car or taxi in Scotland, subsection (1) (so far as relating to paragraph (d) of that subsection) and section 55B(1) and (2) apply as if the person holding the licence under section 55 and the person making the provision in Scotland were separate persons.

In this subsection, “private hire car” and “taxi” have the same meaning as in sections 10 to 22 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

(6) In this section, “London PHV operator” and “operating centre” have the same meaning as in the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.

55B Sub-contracting by operators: criminal liability

(1)In this section—

“the first operator” means a person licensed under section 55 who
has in a controlled district accepted a booking for a private hire
vehicle and then made arrangements for another person to
provide a vehicle to carry out the booking in accordance with
section 55A(1);

“the second operator” means the person with whom the first
operator made the arrangements (and, accordingly, the person
who accepted the sub-contracted booking).

(2) The first operator is not to be treated for the purposes of section 46(1)(e) as operating a private hire vehicle by virtue of having invited or accepted the booking.

(3) The first operator is guilty of an offence if—

(a) the second operator is a person mentioned in section 55A(1)(a) or (b),

(b) the second operator contravenes section 46(1)(e) in respect of
the sub-contracted booking, and

(c) the first operator knew that the second operator would
contravene section 46(1)(e) in respect of the booking.”

That Third Stage will be heard on the 4th March and, subject to the third stage being completed, it will then return to the House of Commons
For their final stage. Parliament will only have till the end of March to complete this Bill or it WILL be out of time.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

A quick update on what Baroness Kramer told the House of Lords about cross border hiring in London - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANNqr-vcx0

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

_________________
Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

The commons has finished the "ping pong" stage with just one amendment from the lords being returned. The lords will be debating this one amendment next Monday and if they agree it, the bill goes for royal accent, which can be immediately after the debate.

_________________
Grandad,

What was the one amendment?

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Nothing to do with private Hire and hackney Carriages.

_________________
Grandad,

So we are left with the cross border issue and the three year licensing issue.

In my opinion neither of them will have any effect on what we did today, tomorrow, or after those sections are enacted.

_________________
IDFIMH

Maybe not where you are but our private hire operators license is up for renewal later this year and it should mean that we can get a 5 year license instead of a 2 year license. The drivers here should be able to get a 3 year badge instead of a 1 year badge and My mate who runs an executive hire business in South Derbyshire will be able to sub contract some of his work to an operator outside his LA.

_________________
Grandad,

That might save a few quid, but it's not going to effect business as such.


He has been able to do that with hackneys for years, in fact nearly 40 years. London and Plymouth have been able to for many years as well. It generally will change nothing.

_________________
IDFIMH

His business is run with nearly new Mercedes E class vehicles. How many of them do you think there are licensed as hackney?

_________________
Grandad,

and then everything will be in place for the apps to take over

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I can't wait

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

they've put in place a whirlwind that will blow themselves to pieces - pure and simple

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin