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Blackpool Council has published for public consultation a draft policy document which sets out proposals for the governance of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles as licensed in the town. The full document can be inspected on the Council’s website.
Executive Summary of Main Proposals
The main proposals contained in this draft document are summarised below:
• Bringing all policies & procedures in line with new Department of Transport Best
Practice Guidance.
• Revising and extending the specification of licensed vehicles as well as introducing
an age limit of 10 years on licensed vehicles
Increasing the requirements for vehicle inspections to up to 3 per year for
older vehicles
Overhauling the requirements in respect of advertising and signage on both
hackney and private hire vehicles
Introducing new controls and conditions to bring stretched limousines and
similar vehicles properly under licensing control
Introducing a new “Penalty Points” scheme to deal with breaches of licence
conditions, bye-laws and legislation
• Introducing new formal written policies in respect of:
• The relevance of criminal convictions
• Disciplinary Hearings
• Enforcement
• Introducing a formula for determining increases in fares and setting a timetable for
the regular review of fare scales, as well as removing ‘extras’ from the tariff
• Reducing the age and qualifications for licensed drivers to 18yrs with the proviso
that a full driving licence has been held for one year
• Introducing driver training,
• Introducing a practical test for hackney carriage and private hire drivers,
• Revising and extending the conditions and requirements attached to private hire
operator’s licences.
• Considering the introduction of policies to help promote the use of cleaner and
greener fuels
• Expanding the knowledge test for drivers
• Detailing the medical fitness standard for licensed drivers
• Revising and extending the conditions attached to private hire driver’s licences
• Introducing a new Dress Code and a Code of Conduct for licensed drivers
• Confirming the requirement that taximeters should be calendar controlled.
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