Taxi driver licences to be renewed less often as law changesChanges to how long taxi licences are issued for will cost Preston City Council at least £25,000 a year.
Taxi drivers in the city are set to see their costs of applying of licences reduced due to new laws.
The Department for Transport has changed the duration a licence is valid for, giving Hackney cabs a three year licence and private hire operators a five year licence. This reduces how often taxi drivers and firms need to re-apply for a licence.
Currently a hackney carriage licence is issued for a year and a private hire licence for three years.
The current fees for a private hire firm with 75+ vehicles in its fleet is £365 per licence, so two years extra on a licence represents a significant saving.
Figures tabled to the city council’s taxi sub-committee predict the changes will cost £25,000 this year and a loss of income of £31,000 per year over the next four years.
Councillors are also being asked to increase two of the fees charged to taxi drivers.
A driver application is due to become £105, up £15, and a knowledge test would be £32.50, an increase of £12.50.
The city council says it has consulted hackney carriage and licensed private hire operators on the proposals but not received any response.
Officers are recommending councillors support the changes saying: “The proposals support the council’s corporate priority in delivery well run, value for money services for the trade who in turn should provide a valued transport service to the general public.”
The taxi sub committee meets at the Town Hall from 10am on Thursday. You can read the full council report on the council website.
source:
http://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2015/04/ta ... w-changes/
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