Latest news with #taxiLicensing
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Hull City Council calls for end to 'out-of-town' taxi licensing
Calls have been made to close a legal "loophole" that allows taxi drivers licenced in other areas to operate in City Council members have unanimously called for new government legislation to bring to an end "out-of-town" taxi licensing, which they see as a safeguarding application process for getting a private hire vehicle licence differs between councils, with the fees and the level of vehicle standards set by each Dolman, chairman of the city council's licensing committee, said the current system meant the authority was left "with a lack of control over who operates on our streets and who transports our residents". According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, at this month's full council meeting Labour Group leader Daren Hale brought forward an emergency motion calling for government action to close the "loop hole", which he described as an "absolute travesty".Similar concerns have been raised in Lincolnshire recently by South Kesteven District motion in Hull follows the release of the recent Casey Review on grooming gangs, which included the tightening of taxi licensing rules as one of its hackney carriages, private hire vehicles are not confined to operating within the borders of the authority where they are licensed. Safeguarding concerns Hale's motion specifically referred to City of Wolverhampton Council, which has made headlines due to its licensed drivers popping up across the country on a seemingly disproportionate motion stated it should be a mandatory requirement for licensees to operate within the areas where their licences are who seconded Hale's motion, said: "Without a doubt the largest issue our fantastic drivers raise is that of Wolverhampton taxis and the safeguarding concerns that come with them."A spokesperson for the Wolverhampton council said safeguarding was "our number one priority in taxi licensing".It said it was the only local authority that checked the Disclosure and Barring Service database every day and it was the first authority to offer driver licence checks by smartphone, allowing passengers to verify a driver's status and identity before getting in."We welcome any measures from government to help tackle the important matter of safeguarding," the spokesperson added."We work in partnership with Hull City Council and have carried out 23 operations over the last three years, checking 206 vehicles."They added that it was illegal for the council to refuse an application for a taxi licence on the basis of where they live and for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences issued. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Lincolnshire council calls for end to taxi licences 'loophole'
Calls have been made to close a "loophole" in the law that allows taxis licensed in other areas of the country to operate in Kesteven District Council said it had seen a "deluge" of Wolverhampton-licensed taxis which had had a "detrimental" impact on local has written to the government calling for an end to out-of-district of Wolverhampton Council said safeguarding was its "number one priority" in taxi licensing and that it was "the first to implement the government's statutory standards and best practice guidance", adding it was not allowed to decline licences based on where the applicant lived. Licensed taxi drivers are allowed to operate anywhere in England and Wales and are not tied to the district where they got their licence. Applications made in Wolverhampton are believed to be quicker and cheaper than those made issue of out-of-district licences was raised at a recent licensing committee of South Kesteven included a restriction on the authority's ability to monitor and manage drivers who did not comply with leader Ashley Baxter has written to local transport minister Simon Lightwood about the issue. He said: "The overall number of taxi and private hire drivers in our district has remained relatively constant in recent years."Many survived the significant impact of Covid but now face increasing financial pressure due to unfair competition from drivers licensed by other authorities."City of Wolverhampton Council reiterated that it was legal for applicants to apply to any licensing authority for a licence.A spokesman added. "It is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live. "It is also illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences they issue."The council does not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ring-fenced for spend only on related activities." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
