Taxi Driver Online

Final stage for minicab licensing begins

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone today announced the final stage of a major operation to license London's private hire industry.

From early June 2004 private hire vehicles will have to meet strict safety standards to trade legally by either holding a license or a temporary permit from the Public Carriage Office (PCO). The regulations for the vehicle licensing will be considered by the TfL board on 11th February and vehicle checks will start in April.

All 40,000 vehicles in the capital will be inspected annually by a contractor working for TfL's Public Carriage Office (PCO).

Mayor Ken Livingstone said:

"Minicab passengers deserve to travel in safe, roadworthy and clean cars which cannot be confused with black cabs. These new strict standards will improve the quality of service for passengers and make minicabs in London a more respectable business. By April 2005, all existing private hire vehicles will be licensed.

"This final stage follows the successful licensing of some 2300 private hire operators and the start of licensing for 43,000 drivers."

Licensed Private Hire Car Association Chairman Steve Wright said:

"Vehicle Licensing brings the private hire industry much closer to completing the task of delivering a fully regulated minicab and chauffeur industry in London.

"The introduction of private hire vehicles licensed by TfL will improve safety and give the travelling public the ability to book a private hire vehicle with the same confidence as they would a licensed taxi.

"Now that it will be a requirement for all licensed private hire vehicles to have an identity disc in windscreens, illegal touts will be easier to isolate and prosecute.

"The LPHCA welcomes the new TfL regulations as good news for Londoners."

The checks will be similar to those carried out traditionally for black cabs. Examiners will be ensuring that the vehicles are comfortable and fit for use by looking for working doors and windows; seatbelts for all passengers, adequate bootspace, cleanliness and comfortable seating. In addition the new standards include:

A distinctive new disc fixed to front and rear windscreens to identify the vehicle as a licensed private hire vehicle. No other signage will be allowed;

The owner must produce a valid MOT certificate which must be no older than 14 days before the inspection by the Public Carriage Office (PCO);

A mid-year MoT will be required ensuring that safety checks are carried out every six months on all licensed private hire vehicles; and

The owner must produce valid insurance for the vehicle and it must be registered with the DVLA.

From 5th March 2004 the PCO will be able to issue temporary permits for private hire vehicle owners, currently 37,000 vehicles have registered for a temporary permit. Vehicle inspections can take place from early April 2004 at four centres in the capital (at Croydon, Woolwich, Hanworth and Enfield) run by SGS on behalf of the PCO.

So PH's in London will be safer to travel in than the black cabs now, as the PH lads will have two checks a year compared to the black cabs only being tested once.

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IDFIMH

I think its a good idea having more than one testing station.
We have 4 or 5 and if you fall out with one snotty tester you can take your business elsewhere.

So, how will the public be educated about this? Something along the lines of 'Dont get into a car without the distinctive disc in the window'.

So you get a nice trade in dodgy discs stolen from the windscreens of PH's down the local pub, and the average drunken punter still getting into dodgy cars with a drinks coaster sellotaped to the windscreen

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Having a picnic

a disc in the window? someone is having a laf. 2 minutes with a colour photo copier and some one is going to make a wedge £££.

no PH plate? no door stickers with car licence number?
wake up red ken, go take a look at how other parts of the UK do it.
otherwise things will be no better off.

well of course the black cabs are tested by stringent city of london inspectors, whilst minicabs by the common testing station, come on Sussex it aint as you describe at all.

They will still be safer for 6 months of the year.

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IDFIMH

bollox stupid talk,
and you know it.

So a car tested to MOT standard today, is less safe than one which was tested 6 months ago?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

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IDFIMH

a car tested today doing a big job but prepared for the domestic market is and tested in a ordinary testing station, is never gauranteed to be safe.

commercial built vehicles overhauled as required and stringently tested AND regularly threatened with further tests is much safer even after 6 months

you telling me touts look after thier vehicles?

you take the [edited by admin]

a car tested today doing a big job but prepared for the domestic market is and tested in a ordinary testing station, is never gauranteed to be safe.

commercial built vehicles overhauled as required and stringently tested AND regularly threatened with further tests is much safer even after 6 months

you telling me touts look after thier vehicles?

you take the [edited by admin]

If you are asking me if they do it now, then I suspect the answer is no more times than yes.

But if they get checked twice a year, then if they don't, they don't stay licensed.

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IDFIMH

Sussex.

According to the insurance markets, nothing I repeat nothing is safer than a London Cab, in our market

conversely

Nothing and I mean nothing is more dangerous in our market than London Private Hire.

now stop [edited by admin] about misleading people, THE BEST CHANCE OF GETTING HURT IN OUR INDUSTRY IS TRAVELLING IN A LONDON MINICAB.

why you hold a tourch for them is a total mystery

But who is talking about mini-cabs?

I'm talking about licensed London private hire, and if they get checked twice a year, it puts those that don't to shame.

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IDFIMH

bollox

there is no difference to minicabs and London Prvate hire you are playing with words

and you know you are talking bollox