Taxi Driver Online

Outcome of the Review of Taxi Licensing
and Inspection Services

PCO Notice 22/04 of 24 August 2004 announced a Best Value Review of the licensing and inspection services for London’s taxis. The Review has been completed taking into account the views expressed by the trade as part of the consultation exercise with key stakekolders.

The purpose of the Review was to inform decisions about the future development and direction of taxi licensing in London. It was also undertaken specifically to help decide whether the current contract between TfL and SGS United Kingdom Limited for private hire licensing inspections should be extended in accordance with its terms to similar services for taxis.

Following the conclusion of the review, a decision has been taken to transfer the PCO’s main taxi licensing inspection services to SGS, subject to further discussion and agreement on practical and contractual issues.

The transfer timescale and plan will be agreed with SGS, and in discussion with the taxi trade, with the overriding priority of maintaining licensing continuity and standards. The intention, however, is for the new arrangements to start by January 2007.

The intended new arrangements will mean that owners will be able to choose to have their vehicle inspected at any one of five centres using modern and comprehensive electronic testing equipment. There are currently SGS centres at Enfield, Croydon, Hanworth and Woolwich. It is planned to extend the Hanworth centre and open a fifth inspection centre in North West London. The centres will inspect both taxis and private hire vehicles. The present centres currently open from 8am-6pm weekdays.

It is intended that the following core elements will transfer to SGS:

• vehicle inspection appointments (bookings);
• vehicle inspections to the current standard; and
• issue of licences and refusal.

The planning process to transfer these activities will involve joint PCO/SGS presentations to appropriate trade bodies and associations, as well as organised visits to SGS sites, to enable owners to prepare for the changes and understand how the new licensing inspection activities will work in practice.


A further recommendation by the review has also been accepted in principle. Subject to consultation, TfL proposes to introduce a mid-year licensing inspection to help ensure that licensed taxis continue to be fit for public use during the whole of the licensing period. The timing of the introduction of this change and the precise nature of the safety inspection, together with the business implications for owners, will be subject to consultation with the trade. The new inspection will follow the transfer of the licensing inspection activities to SGS.

The aim of a mid-year safety inspection is to:

• raise standards by introducing a consistent approach to in-year compliance inspections;
• improve the standard of vehicles presented for licensing;
• complement the emissions strategy by improving the overall mechanical condition of the fleet and reduce pollution; and
• minimise reliance on both planned and ad hoc on-street inspections and eliminate visits to proprietors and fleet owners to inspect taxis.

A copy of this Notice will be available on the TfL website.

Key taxi trade representatives have been advised of the outcome of the Review. Should you have any questions about this Notice, please contact Dave Stock, Head of Vehicle Inspections and Standards (020 7126 1875), or Len Simkins, Head of Business Services and Strategy (020 7126 1873).



Roy Ellis
2 December 2005 Head of the Public Carriage Office

For their faults, they still maintained a high standard of vehicle inspection.

I hope this private company manages to maintain that standard.

But, like all things taken out of the public sector, I doubt it.

Still, one plus side, I will be able to meet up with Ollie when i'm up there for tea.

Two week wait for an appointment / re-test with just PHV to cope with. Ad-hoc appointments they promise, "my arse" I say.

If the inspections for Taxi's are brought in line wih PHV you should be laughing. 4 Wheels - check, doors open - check, seatbelts - check. Here your license mr GBC.

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Anyone drive a green taxi?

So they're now moving to six-monthly rather than annual inspection?

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

Don't know.

This is all news to me, I'm reading it as you will have one major examination once a year for plating after your cabs been through its overhaul, and a six monthly check up to replace random on-street inspections.

If LN is correct though, it sounds like another debarcle heading our way.

I suppose the apposite word is the one highlighted - it could be a quick shufty, or effectively the current inspection twice a year.

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

So that now means they will have to wash their motors twice a year now.

Ollie

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Happy to be legit.

That will be two times more than my favorite Licensed Minicab operators drivers do.

Take a bow, 'Harringey cars'.