Taxi Driver Online

Surprise, surprise, an article on licensing policy that seems disconnected and illogical.

One source of confusion is the use of 'black cabs' in the headline, which you'd guess refers to London-style cabs, or London Conditions of Fitness-compliant vehicles, as they used to be called.

But I think it just means that saloon HCs can now either be black or white in colour, whereas previously they all had to be white, while according to this document from 2020, if it was a 'London style cab' then it could be another colour.

(And, I think the white colour requirement didn't just refer to saloons, but WAVs too which are not 'London style cabs' )

https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/sites/def ... cation.pdf

But the rest of this is probably more interesting than the bit in the headline - an interesting thing about allowing WAV owners to change to saloons after a certain period of time.

So that's basically a relaxation, but on the other hand the environmental spec seems quite stringent.



Black cabs cleared for Stafford Borough as taxi rules updated

https://alittlebitofstone.com/2025/09/1 ... s-updated/

Black cabs will be permitted in Stafford Borough after a change in taxi licensing policy was approved to allow two different Hackney carriage colours.

Previously Stafford Borough Council has only permitted taxis, which can be hailed in the street, to be white vehicles as part of its licensing rules.

The authority’s latest Taxi Licensing Policy and Licence Conditions, covering 2025-2030, will allow the vehicles, also known as Hackney carriages, to be black or white however. Councillors were told at their full meeting on Tuesday (September 9) the move was in response to a request from the taxi trade.

Councillor Ian Fordham, cabinet member for environment, said:

“The council has a statutory obligation to protect public safety by ensuring licensed vehicles are fit for purpose and licensed drivers are fit and proper persons to discharge this obligation. The policy before us provides clear guidance as to how taxi licensing works and explains how officers will make decisions relating to licensing of vehicles, drivers and operators.”

Cabinet members backed the policy changes at their latest meeting before the revised policy was approved by the full council on Tuesday. A cabinet report said:

“White vehicles are becoming harder to come by and waiting lists can be up to 12-15 months, thereby presenting a barrier to the trade.

“Proprietors of wheelchair accessible Hackney carriages (WAVs) will, once the vehicle has been licensed by Stafford Borough Council for a period of eight consecutive years to that proprietor, be permitted to license a saloon vehicle as a Hackney Carriage if they wish to do so. The reason behind the last proposal is that wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) are very expensive to buy so result in prospective Hackney carriage proprietors instead choosing to becoming private hire drivers.

“This proposal aims to give proprietors/drivers some incentive to initially purchase and license WAVs with the option then of looking forward to having a saloon vehicle, if they so wish, after the first 8 years and staying in the trade. From a licensing perspective the merit of this proposal is twofold, it will hopefully attract more Hackney carriage proprietors, which are currently declining quite rapidly, whilst retaining enough WAVs within the trade for those customers who require them.”

Other measures in the policy aim to support the move away from petrol and diesel vehicles. From 2030 all vehicles will have to be hybrid/electric or hydrogen fuelled.

The trade had requested this date be pushed back to 2035. The cabinet report said: “The UK government has confirmed the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars has been brought forward to 2030 – but full hybrid vehicles can still be sold until 2035.

As the revised policy contains no end date for licensing of hybrid vehicles of whatever type, the 2030 date for ending the licensing of vehicles powered solely by internal combustion engines (ICE) is considered reasonable and proportionate, both minimising disruption to the local trade and assisting the council in meeting its net zero ambitions. Members may wish to note that the emissions criteria imposed on vehicles licensed with the borough council will neither apply to, nor be enforceable against, vehicles trading in the borough (for example via the Uber App) which are licensed by other local authorities.”

So I'd guess that at present there's a mixed (grandfathered) saloon and WAV HC fleet, and they all have to be white unless they're London-style WAVs.

But now the white saloons and WAV HCs can also be black, even if they're not London style cabs. And after eight years as an HC WAV the owners can now put a saloon on. Which can't be petrol or diesel from 2030. Presumably that will only apply to new applications or replacement vehicles, but who knows?

But apart from that I'm sure it's all very straightforward

Can't remember if I have ever seen an 8 year (or any year) WAV to saloon policy.

I suspect it does put value on 7-year-old WAVs, as someone can buy it and then replace it with a saloon.

As for how many extra new WAVs it will add to the fleet, I suspect zero.

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IDFIMH

It reads like it'll only be allowed if it's the same plateholder/proprietor, and presumably they'll have to retain the new saloon plate as well, at least for a certain period:


Which I'd guess means that plates would be non-transferable. Of course, there are ways round that...



I'd guess you're right - for a start, eight years is a long time, particularly in view of the age that many proprietors will be if they're even thinking of putting a car on.

And it's all so complicated these days that it's very difficult to weigh up all the knowns and unknowns, incentives and disincentives etc