New rules to curb cross border minicabs welcomed in Bradford CHANGES that could prevent the influx of cabs licensed in rural Lancashire operating in Bradford have been welcomed by Bradford Council's deputy leader.
But Councillor Val Slater believes still more needs to be done.
It comes after fears from West Yorkshire authorities, such as Bradford and Kirklees, about cross border licensing, where drivers obtain a licence with another authority such as Rossendale, but work elsewhere and are immune from local enforcement action.
Rossendale Council has recently consulted its taxi licence holders over plans to review its policies on issuing licences, including a new rule to curb drivers working elsewhere. A decision is expected to be made later this year.
Cllr Slater, whose portfolio includes taxi and private hire licensing, said she feared that even if an "intended use" policy was introduced by Rossendale, it would take a while for its effect to filter through as licences are renewed.
She said: "While I welcome this policy, even when it comes in it will take some time to work through for those currently holding a licence. I still think more needs to be done.
"One of the problems we face is that we can't deal with any issues with Rossendale cabs.
"We are already working with other authorities in West Yorkshire so that our conditions are similar across districts and we are giving delegated powers across the Combined Authority so that we can stop each others taxis."
Under the law drivers can get a hackney carriage licence in one district and use it to work as a private hire driver anywhere else in the country.
But Rossendale has been accused of approving too many licences - with 3,486 licensed hackney carriage drivers and 1,846 licensed hackney carriage vehicles, while Bradford has its capped at 222 black cab licences.
Cllr Slater has claimed that drivers who were turned down for licences in Bradford were going to Rossendale, where standards for knowledge tests, English tests and criminal record checks are lower.
She also urged people ordering minicabs locally to specifically ask for ones with a Bradford licence.
A spokesman for Rossendale Council previously rejected any claim that Rossendale's cabs were unsafe to use or that its standards were lower, but said it was reviewing its policies.
Of the draft policy on "intended use", which would mean that someone who cannot satisfy the authority that they will be working mainly in the Rossendale area might not be granted a licence or have an existing licence renewed, the spokesman said: "The Council is currently reviewing all policies and procedures with regard to the taxi trade and introducing further aspects to our already robust application regime.
"Consultation on an “intended use” policy, basic skills assessment, amongst others has taken place and will be going before the Licensing Committee on November 10, with a final decision on the “intended use” policy going before full Council on December 9."
source:
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... _Bradford/
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