Taxi Driver Online

Free Press.

Councillor gets to the 'bare' facts

THE chairman of Monmouthshire County Council's licensing committee, Councillor Ted Dorel, has defended licensing staff after a recent article in the Free Press quoted a local businessman as saying that Council staff "did not understand the laws regarding private hire vehicles."

Councillor Dorel jumped to their defence and praised licensing staff on their dedication and professional attitude to their work.

This has all erupted because Monmouthshire Licensing committee has adopted a new policy to license limousines, novelty vehicles and their owners and drivers which will ensure the safety of passengers in Monmouthshire.

The policy will require that drivers and operators are vetted in the same manner as taxi drivers which will include Criminal Records Bureau checks and vehicles will be tested on a regular basis at approved test centres.

Previously, limousines and novelty vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances were exempt from these checks, but now all drivers and vehicles with more than eight seats will have to conform to the same high standards.

The new policy was adopted after consultation with all operators in Monmouthshire.

Their response was to be in favour of the idea.

Monmouthshire is the first area in the former Gwent region to adopt such a policy.

The other authorities, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Newport and Torfaen are hoping to follow in Monmouthshire's footsteps and adopt similar policies in the near future.

Councillor Ted Dorel said of the new policy "Closing this loophole means that now all passenger vehicles have the same high standards, which can only be a good thing for people in Monmouthshire.

"This is not about lap dancers and strippers, it is about creating safer and stronger communities."

For further information on this matter please contact the Licensing department on 01633 644785.
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Not sure they were exempt from anything apart from being enforced properly.

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IDFIMH

Since when has any LA been able to license vehicles with more than 8 seats?

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Grandad,
To support my charity text MAYORWALK to 70085 to donate £5

They can,t!

What even through self-drive?

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IDFIMH

Care in the community never works does it.