This could be on any number of previous threads, and most of it is stuff posted previously, but good as a reminder.
Lots of potential talking points, but life's too short to go through it all...
However, looks like the app thing has been qualified slightly and paper-based daily checks will be adequate
And good to see proper criteria for stuff like vehicle inspections and compliance etc. Unlike other councils I could mention
New draft taxi licensing policy published in Pendlehttps://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... ed-pendle/New draft taxi licensing rules have been drawn up by Pendle Council to improve vehicle safety, ensure drivers are suitable, and protect the public from risks including accidents, crime and exploitation.
The changes could go out to consultation soon, and follow the dispute over taxi vehicle safety and maintenance, a mobile phone app for checks and action on drivers or firms who breach the rules.
Vehicle spot-checks in recent years have revealed many problems vehicles including tyre, break and seat belt issues, and councillors and the trade have disagreed over many issues.
Differences have included the need for an app, who represents hackney and private hire drivers; balancing enforcement with a partnership approach, and avoiding disciplinary log-jams.
These disagreements saw the resignation of a Conservative councillor, Kieran McGladdery, last year over what he believed was a failure to act over pubic safety and ‘bad conduct’, while fellow-Conservative Richard O’Connor last year said he was ‘disgusted’ at the failure to insist on an app.
Now, the council’s Taxi Licensing Committee is being recommended to put the new policy out for a six-week consultation. Then the policy should be sent to the full council for formal adoption with any new comments.
A new taxi committee report states: “Mechanical standards in taxis has been an issue for Pendle over a number of years.
"The matter was first raised with the trade in 2017, followed by a number of working group meetings with trade representatives and councillors. Liberal Democrat Cllr David Whipp also pushed for a no-confidence motion in the council leader, Independent Cllr Asjad Mahmood, saying a red line was crossed by not insisting on an app, and Cllr Whipp later resigned this spring from the cabinet over the issue.
But, other councillors felt a different approach was needed with the trade. The app could be required in future, if needed, they said. Taxi licensing work is also important to council income.
“After a number of years discussing with the trade how improvements could be made, the council change the licensing policy to require all taxis to be inspected each day, using an online app.
"This followed government guidelines that daily checks should to be undertaken, albeit the guidance indicates paper checks.
"In December 2024, a decision was taken to suspend the taxi app implementation for meaningful discussion with the trade.”
That December decision sparked the anger and resignations by some councillors.
Now, the draft new policy’s introduction states: “The vast majority of taxi drivers and operators are responsible people who make sure the public is protected.
"These polices are, however, aimed at ensuring every vehicle is safe and making sure we check every driver is a suitable person.
“The taxi trade also has a wider social responsibility. In other areas of the country, vulnerable people have been exploited, often in situations that could have been prevented had there been a greater awareness of their plight.
"With the taxi trade’s contact with all sections of our community, it is important that we require all involved to have had training on issues involving child sexual exploitation and safeguarding of vulnerable people.”
Key new points include:
• Vehicle age limits: Existing vehicles can continue until their 12-year age limit. Existing and new Euro 6 emissions-standard, hybrid, electric or wheelchair accessible vehicles will have no age limit. Any new vehicle application will only be accepted for Euro 6, hybrid, electric or wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
• Testing: An annual MOT will be required from any garage and a six-month taxi test from one of Pendle Council’s approved testing stations.
• Road-worthiness: Any vehicle proprietor with three failures of any MOT- classified dangerous or major items over a rolling two-year period will be brought before the Taxi Licensing Committee.
• Spot-checks: For a vehicle failing the spot-check on any MOT-classified dangerous or major items, the driver will have their licence suspended for two weeks on the first occasion, four weeks on the second and brought before the committee on the third occasion, over a rolling two-year period.
• A 50 per cent failure rule for private hire operators should be removed.
• Vehicle checks: Daily checks will be required by an approved app or a paper check. Failure to check or comply with what is recorded on the check, or lying or being untruthful, will see the driver having their licence suspended in similar steps to spot-check failures.
• Knowledge test: A local area section will be removed.
• Penalty points: A host of taxi offences are listed in the new policy under the Local Government Act, the Town Police Clauses Act and the Transport Act. Offences range from licensing, driver badge and insurance breaches, to charging wrong fares or prolonging a journey.
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