Council U-turn over farmer's fight to use four-wheel-drive 'Chelsea tractor' as taxi
A FARMER has won a red tape battle to get his "Chelsea tractor" registered as a private hire vehicle.
Chris Fewson lodged an appeal against Hull City Council's decision to refuse a licence for his Ssangyong Rexton as officers claimed it was "unsuitable" to be used as a taxi.
They said his four-wheel-drive fell outside rules governing the types of permissible private hire vehicles.
Under current council rules, private hire vehicles can only be four-door saloon cars, five-door estates or hatchbacks and minibuses.
In contrast, four-wheel-drives are classed as sports utility vehicles.
Officers even took measurements from the ground to the front and rear seats as well as the minimum legroom to back up their case.
But licensing committee councillors have now overturned the ruling after testing the vehicle out for themselves.
Several councillors climbed in and out of the front passenger seat before deciding to grant the vehicle a trial six-month licence.
Mr Fewson, 58, of Benningholme Hall Farm, Skirlaugh, said he was delighted by the U-turn.
"I had to go through a long, protracted and quite expensive process to get both myself and my car licensed.
"As part of that, you have to get an MoT through the council's own garage and it wasn't until right at the end that I was told it wasn't a suitable vehicle."
Mr Fewson said the vehicle's own log book and insurance described it as an estate.
"I live on a farm and believe you me a four-wheel-drive is a lot safer in adverse conditions and a lot safer for passengers than ordinary cars," he said.
An arable farmer, Mr Fewson said he had decided to start taxi driving as a way of earning extra money.
He will operate out of Bransholme-based Sutton Cars.
Councillor Maureen Bristow was among the committee members to road-test the vehicle's accessibility in the Guildhall car park.
She said: "The problem with some four-wheel-drives is that they are just too high for disabled or elderly people to get in."
After trying it out for herself, she said: "It's not as bad as some."
Senior licensing officer Keith Fenner said; "In general, sport utility vehicles are deemed as unsuitable for licensing because entry and exit from this type of vehicle is difficult and the height of the doors can present difficulty to elderly or infirm passengers."
http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Council-U-turn-application-use-wheel-drive-private-hire-vehicle/article-2507472-detail/article.html
