Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the forum.

The note of the last forum was circulated for information.

The Licensing Manager gave an update on a new piece of legislation which imposes a new duty on all drivers that are not wheelchair accessible to carry passengers and their mobility aid with reasonable assistance.

This would require all drivers, Private Hire and Hackney, to accept passengers who have limited mobility and may be wheelchair users without charging any additional fee. Drivers will be required to provide as much mobility assistance as required.

The Licensing Manager explained that applications for the additional Hackney Carriage licence’s had been received through May and Officers had now stopped taking applications as the limit had been reached. The individuals who applied in May had now been contacted to get vehicles licences.

Should any further licences become available, Officers would re-open the application process in November.

The Licensing Manager explained that the knowledge test would still need to be passed before a badge would be granted. The previous test had been revised in order to assist operators in recruiting new drivers.

The new format test was now implemented and contains the following elements:

·       Numeracy

·       Literacy

·       Policy Test

·       Highway Code

·       Route Test – applicants can use a map to get from A-Z

The Licensing Manager explained that a Taxi Tariff Surcharge had been proposed by the Trade. The Licensing Manager explained that there had recently been an increase in tariff but Drivers had been facing higher fuel costs, Officers would support an increase in taxi tariff but advised that a written proposal would need to be provided by the Trade.

The Licensing Manager asked the trade to meet collectively and provide a written proposal to Officers.

The Trade raised the following points:

·       Dual Badges for Drivers – this was something that other authorities did, drivers paid an additional fee of around £20-30 and they could drive both vehicles with one badge. The Licensing Manager advised he would look into this further.

·       Help for Drivers during COVID – The Licensing Manager advised Drivers to speak to the department that co-ordinated the grants from Central Government. Drivers were welcome to email Licensing Officers who would then forward the email on to the relevant team.