Rossendale taxi licence applications facing backlog until next year All private hire and hackney cab drivers are now required to pass a basic skills test
Prospective taxi drivers are having to wait until 2017 before they can pass a ‘basic skills test’ to get them on the roads, we can reveal.
Under new rules all new private hire and hackney drivers are required to complete a basic skills test, and Rossendale licensing bosses are only accepting new applications from those who have passed.
However, new drivers are now being told they have to wait until 2017 to take the test - despite many having already completed the other mandatory requirements.
A spokesperson for Rossendale council said the test is allocated on a “first come first served basis” and due to the level of demand is booked up until January 2017.
They said: “We do urge applicants to apply in the area in which they live and, or intend to work and to have in mind current and proposed policy requirements before proceeding to book a test slot.”
IT consultant Mohammed Khan has complained to the council after his brother-in-law was told he would have to wait until January 6 to take his test.
Mr Khan said: “They’ve implemented this for new drivers but haven’t provided enough adequate provision to enable people to get this test. It’s ridiculous that they only run the assessments Monday and Friday for less than three hours.
“This is a good requirement but they haven’t put the required resources for the assessments.”
The skills test was introduced as part of new policies cracking down on the trade following continuing criticism from other boroughs of the standards of thousands of Rossendale taxis operating outside the Valley.
Taxi drivers from Rossendale protested against licensing changes last month.
Rossendale Taxi Association member Glen Bulcock said it’s causing “a lot of strife” in the trade.
He added: “We pointed out these pitfalls but were ignored. Now people are out of work while they’re waiting for badges.”
Coun Steve Hughes, chairman of the licensing committee, said the situation was not “ideal” but its purpose was to ‘raise standards’ across the trade.
He said: “It’s a difficult situation to control given the numbers we have had come through and the demands on the service. It’s caused a backlog. It’s not an ideal situation that people have to wait so long. We know of the problem, we are just trying to work through it.”
However, he added: “It’s a need to raise the standards and taxis within Rossendale. It’s not necessarily about reducing the number of taxis. Although that is a consideration this is about improving the quality of the taxi service.”
A proposal to extend the requirement to pass a basic skills test to driver licence renewals is currently being consulted on.
source:
http://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/ne ... g-11889086
Login
Register
FAQ
