Taxi Driver Online

Taxi operators all comply with new council rules in Rotherham

https://www.thestar.co.uk/our-towns-and ... -1-9203182

All taxi drivers in Rotherham now meet a set of licencing guidelines brought in to help ensure a high quality service – with who failed to comply having their licences suspended by the council.

There has been increasing work done to regulate cab drivers in recent years, with those granted a licence expected to meet a range of criteria, including passing background checks, completing safeguarding training and using taxi cameras in their vehicles.

All drivers must also hold a BTEC, or equivalent, qualification and that was the area where progress was incomplete, though the council’s ruling Cabinet has now been told that for the last two months, 100 per cent of the town’s cabbies have been meeting all four criteria.

Coun Emma Hoddinott told the Cabinet: “I think that is really positive. If they have not complied, they have been suspended.”

Earlier this year, there were 29 drivers with licences suspended, but now all have proved they have the BTEC qualification needed, the meeting was told.

Enforcement action to ensure taxis and private hire vehicles are operating correctly has leapt by 300 per cent recently, following the appointment of new staff, resulting in an increase in action taken against cab operators, with 12 suspension notices issued.

Four drivers have had licences revoked or suspended because of concerns about their fitness to hold a Rotherham Council licence and two private hire operators have been given formal warnings about their conduct, with five more dealt with informally.

There are four more investigations still ongoing.

Rotherham Council officials are also involved in a national project to compile a national database of applicants who have had licences refused, or drivers with licences who have had them revoked or suspended.

The aim is to make it more difficult for drivers to move between districts to obtain a licence, then use it to work in a different area.

That work follows concerns raised by Rotherham Council with the Department for Transport over the issue.

I think you'll find that's 100% compliance nationwide don't think there are any councils who haven't put their drivers through the "training"

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

There are plenty.

And Uber point all their prosepective drivers in their direction.

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IDFIMH

Rotherham telling us how brilliant they are again

However, reading the article suggests that they maybe haven't yet thought everything through


Rotherham's taxi regulations to become more stringent

https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/n ... _34194.htm


Image: Rotherham Adverstiser

ROTHERHAM’S improved taxi regulations — viewed as a gold standard nationally — are to become even more stringent.

Changes including CCTV and audio recording equipment in cabs were introduced in the wake of the child sex scandal.

Now drivers will need to display ID in view of the passenger as part of extra requirements being proposed.

Licensing chairman Cllr Sue Ellis said Rotherham’s standards were among the highest in the country — but RMBC was not complacent.

An initial review took place after 12 months and now — three years on from the new regime — more changes are imminent.

Cllr Ellis said: “Current legislation requires drivers to wear an ID badge on their person.

This doesn’t stop us putting ID in the vehicle.

“It has been raised by people in the trade and people that it seeks to protect. It’s on its way.”

The Government announced in February that taxi standards would be reviewed at a national level, including a consideration for CCTV like Rotherham agreed in 2015.

The Department for Transport said robust new rules would ensure consistency in licensing across the country.

Opposition council member Cllr Nigel Simpson, who raised ID badges several times in meetings, said it was about time RMBC acted on the suggestion.

He added: “I think it’s more than two years ago that an officer said that the idea was going ahead. Then around a year later I had to stand up in full council and almost shout at the cabinet member to assert my reasoning for taxi ID safeguarding.

“The reaction then was seemingly that my frustration showed I must have been unwell! I was assured it was on the agenda.”

Council leader Cllr Chris Read said: “Effective taxi licensing is a priority for the council.

“We will continue to ensure we continue to have high standards, keeping the travelling public safe in the future and that’s why we are bringing forward some proposals for consultation with the public.”

The 2014 Jay report highlighted the “prominent” role of taxis in child sexual exploitation.

There was initial opposition to the CCTV from drivers — but most went on to welcome the extra safeguard.

Viewed as gold standard nationally? Really?


Obviously not.


A pretty obvious hole, there, and they've only just realised?

Have always though that it's a bit daft requiring drivers to *wear* badges, which is possibly the worst place to display them as regards passengers seeing them, at least if they remain in driver's seat.

Of course, obvious solution is to have it in a more visible place, like the dashboard, while here the solution seems to be to require two badges.

And the rest of the article as regards the process of implementing this suggests that the council too busy blowing their own trumpet rather than actually understanding things

That should sort out the child abusers.

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IDFIMH

Most councils require that anyway

If they are really serious then maybe they could get the drivers to issue a receipt to every customer which has the drivers ID and plate number on it

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Ah, the national 'gold standard' for trade regulation

So good that they then found a need for drivers to have two ID badges.

Then a couple of years later they concluded that drivers requiring new plates up to three times a year (after every vehicle inspection) was a tad over the top...

And I'm sure there's been other stuff as well that they've concluded is less than perfect.

Now they're at it again - it's all so perfect that they're having to review the whole lot. But, naturally, it's still "widely regarded as a benchmark for other local authorities" and "a beacon for good practice nationally".

They're certainly a beacon for comms and PR stuff, and blowing their own trumpet. But, of course, it's Rotherham Council, so they need to be


Cabinet Approves Taxi and Private Hire Consultation

https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/news/artic ... nsultation

Rotherham Council Cabinet has approved plans to hold a public consultation on proposed changes to the Hackney Carriage (taxi) and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

Following approval by Cabinet at its meeting on Monday 19th June 2023 members of the public, businesses and the taxi trade will now be invited to have their say on the proposed changes, to ensure licensed drivers, vehicles and operators working in the borough continue to be of the highest standard.

Proposed changes to the policy will focus on:

- ‘Out of town’ vehicles and sub-contracting of fares
- Vehicle age and emissions
- Offences added to the list of convictions that exclude drivers
- Vehicle testing
- Driver application process
- Vehicle signs

The Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy was introduced by the Council in 2015 and is widely regarded as a benchmark for other local authorities.

Cllr Denise Lelliott, Cabinet member Jobs and the Local Economy, said: “Rotherham taxis and private hire cars are strongly regulated, but we’re always striving to improve vehicle and customer safety. For us to be able to do this, we need to listen to your views and make any necessary changes that will further strengthen taxi licensing for customers, drivers and operators.”

The consultation is set to open in July and will run for 12 weeks. Responses will be used to create changes to the policy, which will then go back to Cabinet for approval.

Chair of the Licensing Board, Cllr Sue Ellis, said: “I’d encourage all residents to take a look at our proposed changes and let us have their thoughts on them. It’s only by working together that we can further improve and protect our communities.”

“The Council is a beacon for good practice nationally and it’s essential that we continue to lead the way when it comes to taxi safety.”

Public drop-in sessions will be held across the borough, where people can get more information and talk about the proposed changes. A survey will also be posted to the Council website when the consultation goes live.

let me rephrase that

"the council was caught with it's pants down and now has reacted to that by becoming the most draconian in the UK"

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Good luck with that bugger.

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IDFIMH

As usual, Rotherham making basic good practice sound like they've reinvented the wheel

And if they need to change all this from what they're doing currently, are they really a 'beacon for good practice nationally'?

Of course, if they intend interviewing *all* new applicants then I doubt many local authorities are currently doing that, but apart from that...


Rotherham Council to interview new taxi drivers in a bid to improve customer safety

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/people/r ... ty-4353391

A number of changes are proposed to Rotherham Council’s private hire taxi policy – including interviewing new drivers, in a bid to improve public safety.

If the policy is approved, applicants who wish to renew or be granted a licence to operate private hire taxis will be interviewed by council officers.

The interview will assess the applicant’s licensing knowledge and method of operation.

Applicants that do not satisfy council officers that they are competent and will operate their business in an acceptable manner will have their licence refused.

RMBC will also take into account a wider range of an applicant’s previous convictions, including motoring offences, illegal drug offences, and offences relating to discrimination, public safety and immigration.

More vehicles may also be granted a licence, as the council proposes to remove the current limit of 52 hackney carriages able to operate at any one time in Rotherham – on the provision that new vehicles can carry wheelchairs.

Licences will also not be renewed for vehicles first registered more than 10 years ago.

A public consultation on the changes is now open, and RMBC wants to hear from residents and taxi users.

Councillor Denise Lelliott, cabinet member for jobs and the local economy, said: “Rotherham taxis and private hire cars are strongly regulated, but we’re always striving to improve vehicle and customer safety.

“For us to be able to do this, we need to listen to your views and make any necessary changes that will further strengthen taxi licensing for customers, drivers and operators.”

All responses to the consultation will be considered before the policy goes back to cabinet for approval later this year.

Councillor Sue Ellis, chair of RMBC’s licensing board, said: “I’d encourage all residents to take a look at our proposed changes and let us have their thoughts on them. It’s only by working together that we can further improve and protect our communities.”

“The council is a beacon for good practice nationally and it’s essential that we continue to lead the way when it comes to taxi safety.”

You can take the survey on RMBC’s website – www.rotherham.gov.uk/consultations.

Maybe it's just me, but bit of a contradiction there....

Of course, there's always room for change and improvement, but since it's Rotherham, and in view of the self-evident spin and PR, excuse me for being a bit cynical


I thought that was Wolverhampton