Penalty points, smoking bans and sexual conversation: The 35-rule clampdown on Liverpool's private hire drivershttps://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... l-15318520Not all drivers are happy about the rules, which were approved at a council meeting on TuesdayLiverpool's private hire drivers will now be subject to a host of new rules from having to report penalty points to a ban on e-cigarettes - but not all of them are happy about it.
The new conditions were unanimously approved by the council's licensing panel on Tuesday, and included that drivers must disclose any police investigations about them, as well as motoring offences they have committed - described as a "joke" by one driver.
Other conditions included a blanket ban on cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and that drivers must attend all "required" council-run training courses.
A total of 38 new licence conditions were subject to a public consultation in July, in which drivers made their views clear, with 35 eventually approved by the council.
One new rule proposed that drivers must notify the council within 24 hours of any investigation into criminal or motoring offences as well as fixed penalty notices and points being received.
But an angry driver told the consultation: "I shouldn't have to report motoring convictions or driving offences as I don't believe they are material to me being granted a private hire licence.
"If it was a conviction such as dangerous driving then I would agree it should be reported, but having to report things such as penalty points for 3mph over the speed limit is a joke and I will not be reporting regardless of the outcome of this consultation."
A council officer's response said such convictions were "clearly relevant" when assessing a licence holder's suitability.
The response did however, relating to comments that 24 hours was too short a reporting time frame for motoring offences, propose that period be changed to five working days.
Commenting on the ruling that licence holders must attend training or awareness courses if required by the council, including child exploitation courses, one driver said: "It needs to be removed because it's not my job, I'm not a detective nor do I work for any kind of authority so why do I feel like you want us to do their job for them. It will create more issues and wrongful accusations in the long run."
And in terms of the smoking ban in vehicles, a driver said: "Smoking electronic cigarettes in a private hire vehicle shouldn't be an issue considering the vast majority of people who used to smoke now use e-cigs and are always asking if they can use them in my vehicle, which I do allow due to using one of these devices myself."
A council response to the statement said the ban was "common in public places" and smoking of any kind was "not appropriate" in licensed vehicles.
Three further proposals that included making drivers report any vehicle damage and details of collisions to the council within 24 hours were scrapped after they were judged to be "not reasonably necessary".
While there were some negative comments about the new rules, there were also favourable comments, and so the vast majority of conditions were approved without alteration.
Among them were rules such as that radios must not cause "annoyance", children under 10 cannot sit in the front seat, the licence holder must not have conversations of a "sexual nature" with a passenger, and drivers must notify of any change of address within seven days.
Positive comments considered by the committee included: "A lot of these conditions are common sense, and drivers should already be doing these anyway."
Another described them as "sensible", adding: "I don't think it's too much to ask for drivers to appear clean, drive thoughtfully, keep their car clean and in good working order and approach the job in a professional manner."
At the committee on Tuesday, chair of the meeting, Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, said the rules would bring the industry "largely into line with Hackney cab drivers".
Council officer Yvonne Willcock told the committee the consultation's 15 comments meant a "good response", which she said was "unusual" for local authority-led exercises like this.
Around 70% of respondents thought the conditions would increase driver standards and public confidence, while 30% did not.
She added: "These rules are more robust, easier for us to enforce and will bring standards up. Hopefully we will see a change."
The set of conditions will be in force from December 1.
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The proposed rules and comments to the consultation in full are here:
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/doc ... mments.pdf
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