Hull city councillors have unanimously called for new Government legislation to bring an end to ‘out-of-town’ taxi licensing.
At June’s full council meeting, the leader of the council’s Labour Group, Cllr Daren Hale, brought forward an emergency motion calling for Government action to close a taxi licensing ‘loop hole’ which Cllr Hale described as “an absolute travesty.” The motion follows the release of The Casey Review (the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), which made a number of recommendations including the tightening of taxi licensing rules.
Taxi licenses are given out by local authorities. Hackney Carriages (black cabs), which can be hailed on the street, do have to operate within the boundaries of the authority they are licensed by. This means, for example, a black cab licensed to Hull City Council can only pick up passengers in Hull. Whilst they are free to drive out of the city to drop passengers off, in the East Riding for example, they would have to return to Hull before picking up their next passenger.
On the other hand, private hire vehicles (PHVs) are not confined to just operating within the borders of the authority. PHV drivers have the ‘right to roam’, meaning they can start and end a journey in any part of the country.
The process of getting a PHV licence differs from council to council. The application fees as well as the level of vehicle standards are set by each individual council meaning it is in theory ‘easier’ to get a licence from some councils than others. This has led to situation in which some councils are giving out licences to drivers who are operating hundred of miles away in a completely different part of the country.
(Image: Hull City Council)
Cllr Hale’s motion specifically refers to City of Wolverhampton Council which has made numerous headlines for their licensed drivers popping up across the country in a seemingly disproportionate scale. The Labour councillor’s motion states: “Council believes it is a loop-hole and a travesty that Wolverhampton Council can license taxis in Hull and many other cities, and believes this function must form a mandatory requirement of the immediate locality or Combined Authority Area.”
The prevalence of Wolverhampton licensed vehicles has also been noticed in other parts of the country. For example, the Manchester Evening News previously reported that around 35 per cent of the PHV drivers in within Greater Manchester are licensed in Wolverhampton.
Cllr Hale added that the prevalence of out of town taxis is a “real concern for all of us.”
The Liberal Democrats‘ Cllr Ted Dolman, the chair of the council’s Licensing Committee seconded Cllr Hale’s motion. He said: “As the chair of licensing, and therefore a member that heavily engages with taxi drivers, without a doubt the largest issue our fantastic drivers raise is that of Wolverhampton taxis and the safeguarding concerns that come with them. This isn’t just a technicality, this is a real world risk that our residents are faced with.”
Cllr Dolman added that the current system means Hull City Council “is left with a lack of control over who operates on our streets and who transports our residents.”
(Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)
City of Wolverhampton Council has responded to the concerns raised by councillors in Hull. A spokesperson said: “Safeguarding is our number one priority in taxi licensing. City of Wolverhampton Council is investing in innovative technology to lead the way nationally.
- We are the only local authority which checks drivers on the Update Service DBS status every day.
- We are the first authority to offer driver licence checks by smartphone – passengers can verify their driver’s licence status and identity before they enter the vehicle.
- We were the first to implement the government’s statutory standards and best practice guidance
“We welcome any measures from Government to help tackle the important matter of safeguarding.
“We work in partnership with Hull City Council and have carried out 23 operations over the last three years, checking 206 vehicles. We have been accompanied by local licensing officers on 19 of these operations.
“It is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live. Under the current law, applicants are able to apply to any licensing authority for a licence.
“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 ringfenced for spend only on related activities.
“Our early adoption of digital technology has allowed us to offer a simple and efficient online application procedure, with the requirement that drivers attend in person for training and strict assessment before an application can be processed.
“We take enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public. The council has three teams of compliance officers, one based in Wolverhampton, another in the East Midlands and another in the North of England. Our safeguarding statement and requirements for drivers can be found here.”
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