Taxi Driver Online

This is slightly odd, and I'm glad the article finished when it did.

Plenty of potential talking points, but that would maybe entail looking at the original documentation, and that's a potential rabbit hole by the looks of it

And not clear if it's all about HCs, or PHVs, or both, or rank stuff or pre-bookings etc

And with 372 respondents to the consultation, I'd guess there's some kind of mass response rather than from entirely individual and unconnected people

I'd guess the 'public opinion divided' line is overegging it a bit - probably 99.9% of the population have zero clue, or at least have zero view


Taxi policy change for new vehicle type leaves towns divided

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/wes ... e-31938413

A decision will be made next week

Public opinion is divided as Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) could soon be used as taxis across Kirklees.

Next week, the council’s Licensing and Safety Committee will meet to discuss some changes to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Specification Policy. This sets out the types of vehicle that can be used and standards that must be met.

In February 2024, the policy was subject to some amendments including: that all licensed vehicles, regardless of age be subject to annual testing; that multi-purpose vehicles continue to be licensed, and SUVs remain to be barred; and that licensed vehicles be allowed to tow trailers.

Now, further changes are proposed, one of which will permit the use of SUVs. But if a customer feels the vehicle is not suitable for their needs, the driver is required to arrange for an appropriate vehicle for no additional cost. The council says this is something it already expects, should a passenger be dissatisfied with any vehicle they are sent.

During a period of consultation, 211 of 372 respondents (57%) agreed with the statement that Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) and SUVs should not be licensed. One person of this view commented: “MPVs are impractical when it comes to seating people in the rearmost seats and SUVs shouldn’t be licensed as we don’t need more SUVs in our town centres or near schools.”

However, some were strongly in favour of the change, with one respondent commenting: “If vehicles can carry passengers and their luggage, then any vehicle should be permitted. I've had hips replaced and have problems with some standard cars. 4x4s might just be an advantage round here in winter.”

The requirement for vehicles to have certain dimensions has been removed from the policy as vehicles continue to develop and change. In the place of this is a clause that states that the number of seats that can be licensed will correspond with the number of seats shown on the vehicle logbook minus one, to account for the driver’s seat.

Again, if the customer considers the vehicle unsuitable, then the driver is required to arrange for a suitable vehicle at the request of the customer, at no additional cost. A decision will be made on the proposed changes on Thursday, July 3.

There's one for a start - does that mean something more stringent, or a relaxation?

In the context of the usual stuff like that, I'd guess it's a relaxation from maybe twice a year testing for older vehicles to annual testing for all. But who knows


Yes, a huge mishmash of vehicles, and customers picking and choosing once they roll up...

What could possibly go wrong?

Does that mean cars could be even smaller than in the photo here (Huddersfield rail station rank)?

Even the Octavias here look mahoosive

How in 2025 can councils define a suitable vehicle in as broad a category as SUV?

It would make more sense to allow, or not as the case maybe, specific models.

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IDFIMH

bearing in mind the propensity of rivers in kirklees and neighbouring areas to flood I would have thought SUV's such as range rovers might prove useful.

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

This all smacks of people theorising from behind desks and in committee meetings...


Every Kirklees taxi driver issued council alert over major policy change

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/wes ... d-31985299

The changes were approved today (July 3) by Kirklees Council's Licensing and Safety Committee

Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) can now be used as taxis in Kirklees following a policy amendment being green lit by councillors.

Today (July 3), Kirklees Council’s Licensing and Safety Committee met to discuss some updates to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Specification Policy. This sets out the types of vehicle that can be used and standards that must be met.

A few changes were proposed, one of which permitting the use of SUVs, with nine out of 10 vehicles on the road said to be ‘small SUVs’, according to the council's Public Protection Group Leader for Licensing, Fiona Goldsmith. Another saw the requirement for vehicles to have certain dimensions removed from the policy as vehicles continue to develop and change.

Chair of the meeting, Cllr Eric Firth, said: “I think it makes sense for the SUVs to be licensed. They are higher, and actually easier to get into and out of for somebody with a disability. We’ve all been in saloon cars and getting in’s alright but sometimes if you’ve got a disability or even a bad back, getting out is sometimes a problem.”

Ms Goldsmith explained that if the council started getting applications for high, off-road type vehicles or complaints about passenger comfort, the policy could be re-visited. The meeting heard that no complaints in relation to the comfort of vehicles have been made in the past 12 months.

However, if a customer feels a vehicle is not suitable for their needs, the driver is required to arrange for an appropriate vehicle for no additional cost. The council says this is something it already expects, should a passenger be dissatisfied with any vehicle they are sent.

In a consultation, public opinion was divided when it came to the use of SUVs. Two-hundred-and-eleven of 372 respondents (57%) agreed with the statement that Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) and SUVs should not be licensed. One person of this view commented: “MPVs are impractical when it comes to seating people in the rearmost seats and SUVs shouldn’t be licensed as we don’t need more SUVs in our town centres or near schools.”

Others were strongly in favour of the change, with one respondent commenting: “If vehicles can carry passengers and their luggage, then any vehicle should be permitted. I've had hips replaced and have problems with some standard cars. 4x4s might just be an advantage round here in winter.”

With today’s unanimous approval, changes to permitted vehicles will be brought in immediately.

Well I'm obviously completely out of touch, and/or my perception of what's an SUV differs from the 'council's Public Protection Group Leader for Licensing'


Would like to see the exact wording of this, and how it actually works in practice

On second thoughts


Good to know they've got it all thought out, and it's all cut and dried. Until, that is, they reassess things.

Particularly when there's been, er, zero complaints about comfort in the last 12 months


So does that mean even smaller cars than the Wolves-plated Yaris are permitted?

One minute they seem to be all over the 'certain dimensions' stuff, the next minute it's totally irrelevant

I'm sure it makes more sense in the official papers etc, but, I mean...

And maybe it's all about distracting attention from other, er, issues in that neck of the woods

And as if by magic, those drivers now have operator's licenses?

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IDFIMH

Sussex, I'm assuming that the precise wording of the condition places the obligation on the operator, which is then delegated to the drivers, who will be required to communicate any issues with the operator

But, in practical terms, it's very probably something that's effectively irrelevant. Or, if it is relevant in practical terms, then it's a recipe for confusion and conflict