Taxi Driver Online

LIMOUSINES across the west of Scotland are to be licensed within months as police move to regulate the industry.

Strathclyde Police want rules on limousine operators tightened up to protect "public safety" in a booming market. Scotland's largest police force has written to every council in its area asking them to include limousines under the current licensing system, and force those which carry eight or fewer passengers to be issued with the same licence as private hire car drivers. They already believe limousines are covered by current legislation but want councils to clarify the rules.

The letter, from the force licensing department, asks councils to consider the move and will launch a crackdown on operators in August.
It goes on to say the vehicles could be called "special event private hire cars". It states: "Given the implications for public safety with the continued use of such vehicles without regulation, I trust that you will give serious consideration to my proposal." The letter says there is a "consensus of opinion supporting the police position".

Licensing has already been adopted in other Scottish cities, including Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh. Police say there will be a four-month period of grace, ending on August 6, to allow operators to apply for a licence.

Scotland's largest and first limousine hire company today welcomed the news. A spokesman for Limos UK, based in Glasgow, said: "It is something we'd welcome as it would get rid of rogue operators.
"We will abide by the law."

Among those operators who will need a licence are the Crazy Fire Company which provides party fireman, music and a bar for seven people in a converted fire engine. Paul Gibson, of the Crazy Fire Company, said the system is confusing and one of his drivers has been charged. He supports licensing but has lodged an official complaint with Strathclyde Police after drivers were stopped.

He said: "I am quite happy to be licensed but I have been told a licensing system will take several months to have in place. There has to be a longer period of grace. "The police and councils must talk to each other."

Glasgow City Council said the recommendation was expected to go before the next licensing meeting within a few weeks. A Renfrewshire Council spokesman confirmed it would be months before a decision could be taken on whether to licence limousines.

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IDFIMH

Excellent news but a big headache for the licensing authorities

For example how will an authority with policies such as vehicle age restrictions, driver dress codes, etc be able to licence a 25 year old fire engine with fake firemen ?

I hope the chauffeur trade will also be included in this clampdown, for too long they have been allowed to operate unlicensed because they are people in suits driving people in suits

All the best

Well good old Wealden license one.

Most councils have rules saying normally, or in most cases, thus they will be able to license these motors providing they, and their drivers, are deemed 'fit and proper'.

It's basically called 'not fettering their discretion'.

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IDFIMH

our council are useless at getting rid of stretch limos.
they park on ranks they block the roads.
and all the LOs want to do is check my fire estinguisher.

The good thing here in the Strathclyde Police Force area (Glasgow, West Central Scotland area) is that the Police have said that as of August the 6th 2005, all Limos will have to licensed or they will be prosecuted. The local councils are being asked to licence them as Private Hire so the law will be enforced & the L.A.'s will not be able to turn a blind eye to these unlicensed vehicles & drivers.

The good news is that the Public will know the vehicles are safe & clearly identifiable & that the drivers have been properly vetted


SUNDAY MAIL AUGUST 2004
Strathclyde Police recently acted to stop a registered sex offender driving young girls on party and hen nights in Renfrewshire.


All the best

Taken from Toronto based http://www.taxinews.com/index.html

At P&T on the 25th, as a part of the whole issuing of new limousine licenses proposal, are a couple of proposals that, Bruce Robertson, Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards, tells me will make enforcement against the illegal operators and even GTAA exempted cabs easier.

They are the banning of staging (waiting for fares) within 200 meters of hotels, the requirement that records of calls be kept by limousine operators (to prove prearrangement), new, stricter definitions of what constitutes limousine/luxury vehicles, age limits (7 years for stretches, 5 years for sedans), a 15 or 20 minute minimum for a call to be considered prearranged (yeah, well...), and stickers to be placed on legitimate limos at regularly scheduled twice yearly inspections (to make legal vehicles clearly identifiable, at least to enforcement officers).

The big one here, is the 200 meter exclusion zone for waiting for fares. (Let the City's traffic control people worry.) Could we be seeing the genesis of limo stands? Genuine enforcement?

Seems as though we are not alone

All the best

The problem is RD, that when the North Americans have finished with them, they get sent over here.

And it would seem, in most of the UK, the authories don't give a f*** about them.

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IDFIMH

That exclusion zone is an interesting concept

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Just an update for you -

Spoke to Glasgow City Council Licensing Dept. today & they plan to have a licensing regime for limousines up & running within the next few months

All limousine companies on their database will be contacted when details have been finalised

All the best

Very welcome news, but you have to wonder why it took the police to sort this out. Don't these councils have LO's that should do the enforcement?

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IDFIMH

its a bout time our council got their fingers out.
it will soon be prom night with dozens of the bloody things out.
but then again does any of us want dozens of p***ed school girls?

I just had word from the council here in renfrewshire that they hope to have a licence to issue in November

I hope they clamp down on all the limos that dont get licensed cause why should us private hire guys have to pay & have checks done when these guys are ignored

That's welcomed news about licensing these things this year.

As to why they aren't checked at the moment, the answer is that councils have found it easier to turn a blind eye when it comes to un-licensed vehicles, but seem to have more than enough time to make it increasingly harder for licensed ones.

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IDFIMH

Interesting stuff guys. Our local council here in York has had the subject broached but seem to simply shy away form the problem. New stretchers are springin up here every month and they completely block the rather archaic road system of this ancient city. One thing being bandied about but I can't really get a proper answer on is that I am led to understand that there might be a legal issue with al these being LHD and an old law saying cannot ply for hire & reward in a LHD vehicle on safety grounds. However, my limited legal sources cannot confirm (but also say cannot toally deny!) Anyone out there got any further info on this front ??

I think that becuase councils like yours and mine have made no effort to sort the stretch limo mess out, that in some areas the bus folk are trying their best to bail out councils.

The two bus areas that have decided to take over the licensing of these things (that I know of) are the South East and the Welsh regions.

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IDFIMH