Taxi Driver Online

Another new thread for an old topic

And confusing from the off. I mean, what's the difference between 'checked for road worthiness' and 'safety tested'

I suspect it just means the same, and it's an example of how a journalist's 'elegant variation' (ie trying not to repeat the same word or phrase) just serves to confuse.

And wasn't this where a previous article was wittering on about MoTs, further confusing things, particularly as it wasn't clear whether it meant a DVLA MoT, or a 'taxi' MoT (ie council compliance test)?

So it's all a tad confusing thereafter, but suffice to say that the testing regime is being relaxed


Blackburn with Darwen Council reduces frequency of taxi tests

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... axi-tests/

AN East Lancashire borough is to ease its MoT testing regime for taxi and private hire vehicles.

Currently cabs in Blackburn with Darwen are checked for road worthiness every 12 months until they are three years old.

Then they are safety tested every six months.

In future the 12-month testing frequency will apply until the vehicles are five years old.

And cabs over that limit which pass the safety check first time will be eligible for an eight month licence, instead of the standard six month one.

The move has been welcomed by Conservative councillor and taxi driver Altaf 'Tiger' Patel who has led a campaign against the high testing charges imposed by Blackburn with Darwen Council and its refusal to outsource the checks to private garages rather than insist all are conducted at the council's Motor Vehicle Service Station (MVSS) at its Davyfield Depot.

A report instigating the new regime by borough environment boss Cllr Jim Smith says: "As part of the broader consultation exercise undertaken with the trade and other stakeholders on the revised policy, a proposal to amend the vehicle testing frequencies was discussed.

"This proposal seeks to incentivise the trade to invest in newer vehicles by granting a twelve month licence for all vehicles aged up to five years, instead of the current three years.

"It also proposes to grant an eight month vehicle licence, rather than a six month licence to those applicants with vehicles aged five years or over, whose vehicle passes the council’s ‘taxi test’ on first presentation.

"Based on current fleet data, the extension of the twelve month licences would capture circa 40 vehicles and see a loss of revenue in licensing fees and testing fees of £6,500.

"The additional two months on vehicle licences will defer the income from vehicle renewals for two months."

Audley and Queens Park ward's Cllr Patel said: "This is good news but the cost of the tests is still very high."

Er, not really. If the period is extended from six to eight months, it's not just a deferral but a loss of income as well

A deferral would just mean the same money at a later date, but if the period is being extended it's also a loss of income

Is this council really saying they are going to offer 8 monthly licenses, as opposed to 12-month licenses with 6 monthly checks?

Recipe for utter disaster.

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IDFIMH

Sussex, reading the article literally, I was assuming they were issuing six-month licences at the moment, thus commensurate with the test period, but that would be increased to eight-month licences, where appropriate.

The twelve-month licences would only be given to the newer motors