Taxi Driver Online

Council to discuss scrapping private taxi licence plates to protect celebrities

Councillors are set to discuss whether private taxi firms should be allowed to take down licence plates to protect premium passengers including celebrities and government ministers. A Bristol City Council report claims that the authority has seen an increase in applications from cab companies asking for permission to take off their taxi licence plates to protect the identities of important passengers.

If approved, only taxi drivers with a smart uniform or high end car such as an Audi, Tesla, or Bentley saloons, would benefit from a relaxation of the rules. However, some have raised concerns over “public safety” and the fairness of the proposed measures. There is no suggestion that the criteria would change for hackney cabs, which are flagged down by passengers on the street and cannot be booked in advanced. Current rules state that all private hire taxis must display an identification plate and drivers must wear a special badge.

Private hire companies can apply to the council for permission to have the plates removed and the authority acknowledges there are some instances when this is necessary for business. The report states: “In some circumstances the identification of the vehicle as a licenced vehicle may allow ‘high risk’ passengers to be more readily targeted putting both them and the driver at risk. “For example, vehicles used by government ministers or celebrities.”

The council now want to draw up a set of standards to make sure it has a consistent approach to the relaxation of the rules. A council officer has put forward a series of six requirements which a private hire firm must reach in order to take the plates off its car or cars. If approved it would mean only luxury vehicles – described in the report as being a “level higher than that of a ‘standard’ private hire vehicle” – would be permitted to drop the plate and only if they are in a “pristine condition”.

The report also states private hire firms must be able to prove that more than three quarters of the work they carry out is of am “executive nature” to be eligible to have the plates removed and drivers must adhere to a “dress code” which include a “suit, jacket, or equivalent”. The council ran a consultation on the proposed changes last autumn and responses were mixed.

One respondent said: “I think if a private hire vehicle is doing more than 75 per cent executive work, then yes, they should be allowed exemption.” However others were not so positive and described the policy as “detrimental” and “elitist”. One person said: “Whether a car is expensive and has a leather interior should not be a differentiator for the public about whether a car is obviously a private hire vehicle or not. “From a public safety perspective it would be very simple for a well-dressed person in a smart, expensive car to impersonate a private hire vehicle driven service, if there are no obvious outward signs.”

Bristol City Council said it “often takes time to relook at policies” to see if they can be updated or improved. A spokesperson added: “At Tuesday’s meeting our team have proposed some amendments towards our policy on licensed private hire vehicles which will be discussed by the committee. These proposals also mention exemptions about when it is appropriate for private hire vehicles to not to display their identification plate.”

The proposal will be discussed at the council’s public safety and protection committee which will take place at 10am on Tuesday in City Hall.

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IDFIMH

Got f*** all to do with celebrities and politicians.

Got everything to do with Uber.

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IDFIMH

Section73 is what we use for discreet ID on limos, I'm surprised they don't know that.

A so called celebrity would raise no more eyebrows traveling in a humble PH than they would in some ostentatious limo....less in fact.

What a pretentious load of sh1te.

I think most people know, but signage is there for good reason, and having no signage should be for a good reason.

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IDFIMH

?

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Former taxi driver

now doubt the list of cars will match user's

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