Proposed changes to how taxi licences are granted would be a ‘disaster’ for public safety in South Gloucestershire, councillors warn.
The Department for Transport has been asking for feedback on the reforms, which could involve mandatory CCTV in cabs and a fundamental handover of responsibility for overseeing the trade from district and unitary councils to local transport authorities, such as the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).
But cross-party members on South Gloucestershire Council regulatory committee voiced their dismay over the plans because the outcome could be losing vital local knowledge and experience from decisions on issuing hackney carriage and private hire vehicle and driver licences, endangering passenger safety.
One of the biggest flaws with the current regime, which dates back to the 19th century, is that operators and cabbies can undertake journeys outside the area where they are licensed, which has led to significant ‘out-of-area working’ where they mostly ply their trade elsewhere. It means they can apply to any authority with lower costs, more lenient rules, and faster processes, but are not obliged to stay there.
A report to the regulatory committee said this created enforcement issues because only the council that issued a licence could suspend or revoke it.
Cllr Paul Hughes told the meeting: “If drivers appeal, the process could last for years with them continuing to operate while that goes through the system. They could be driving around with the Sword of Damocles over their head, and this is going to be a negative regarding the travelling public who we as a council have protected over the years.
“It really concerns me. People need to be assured when they get into one of South Gloucestershire’s hackney carriages or private hire vehicles that they are safe, the driver is safe, there will be no malarkeying. If that goes, it’s a disaster for this area.”
Cllr Sanjay Shambhu said: “I am against this proposal. It centralises decision-making and takes it away from local decisions. It is counterproductive to everything this council has achieved under this administration and over the last 10 years so I am strongly against this.”
Cllr John Bradbury said: “I’m rather struck by the idea that we have local control over our taxis and we should keep that local control. If we lose all of that control to a bigger authority, we lose a significant amount of revenue, and that money would go to WECA.
“We would lose our experienced licensing officers and enforcement staff who would transfer to a local transport authority. We should keep it local.”
Cllr Keith Cranney said responsibility for licensing cabs came to the council to relieve the burden on magistrates courts. He said: “We’ve done it well. As an authority here in South Glos we’ve always been ahead of the game. We brought in mandatory safeguarding, and our drivers today are going through that.
“We as panels ensure the safety of the travelling public. We’re all doing a good job as councillors, and this is one of the last bastions of working in a local authority where you make the decisions. Officers give guidance, you make the decisions. Are you making the wrong decisions? I don’t think so.”
The Department for Transport’s findings will be published later this year.
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporter