Licensing service updates will continue to be posted on the Taxi and private hire bulletin. Councillors to consider taxi and private hire licence changes to improve public safety in Leeds. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. This training is aimed at educating drivers to help avoid misunderstandings and help them identify any potential issues whilst carrying out their day to day job. Taxi and private hire drivers and operators with a Leeds business address will also be able to apply for 500 grants following the reopening later this month of a coronavirus support scheme for businesses with low fixed property costs. Following a meeting of Leeds City Councils licensing committee, councillors have recommended changes to the taxi and private hire driver licence standards. Although that review concluded that Leeds own procedures and policies were comprehensive, effective and robust, it was agreed there was still more which could be done. Annual declaration and statement of medical fitness. June 16, 2022. These drivers are part of the lifeblood of our city and we are determined to do as much as we can to help protect their livelihoods. I also believe that the proposed amendments are also a fair reflection of the consultation work that has been ongoing to ensure the voices of both the trade and travelling public are fairly reflected in the outcome of any changes in the licensing standards.". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. book a cab by giving us a call on 0113 249 9999, book online or download our, Social Media Competition Rules and Guidelines. Download. Although that review concluded that Leeds own procedures and policies were comprehensive, effective and robust, it was agreed there was still more which could be done. Coventry CV4 0EH, Phone: 0300 061 0614 (08:30 - 17:00 Monday to Friday), Website: http://www.lgo.org.uk/make-a-complaint. The PCO licence is valid for 3 years and is issued by the PCO (Public Carriage Office), who are part of Transport for London (TfL). Since 1988. Secure Payments & Pre-authorisation, This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience moregot it. The council is making 2.5m available to fund free three-year taxi and private hire licence renewals for drivers, delivering a timely boost to a trade that has been particularly badly affected by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Support was also available for those working in the trade when the scheme was originally open last year. Abid, who is a Leeds Taxi and Private Hire Organisation (LPHDO) driver, says he had his licence revoked by Leeds Council in July 2021 after a small dispute with a customer over the placing of his metre reader. Cookie Policy Taxi and private hire drivers and operators with a Leeds business address can also apply for 500 business grants. Although it is not a DVSA test, it is very similar to the standard driving test completed by those getting their driving licence for the first time. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Get, Create, Make and Sign taxi and private hire licensing leeds. For any new applications for a taxi and private hire drivers licence, licenses will not be granted if the driver has already accrued seven or more points for minor motoring convictions. Find out how to apply for pavement (street cafe) licences in Leeds and view and comment current licence . The time and costs required to obtain a licence vary by council, as shown by the estimates set out above. Approved licenses. At the next meeting of the council's executive board, on Wednesday 16 December, members will hear how work has progressed to improve safeguarding measures in taxi and private hire licensing over the past year. Taxi and private hire accessibility. Safeguarding in taxi and private hire licensing is top of the agenda. Taxi drivers in Leeds who get seven points on their licence could be ordered to get extra driving training to keep their jobs. Complimentary 4G Wi-Fi. It will also include further work on safeguarding including training on child sexual exploitation and human trafficking and the adopting a standard convictions policy and convictions criteria.. To ensure early intervention is possible, the council introduced annual, rather than three-yearly, online DBS checks which enable officers to not only carry out checks at the point of renewal but also random checks each month. changes to the licencing rules around motoring convictions, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant. Amber Cars 2023. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 1985, authorises the holder of a taxi or private hire vehicle licence to operate local services. Find amazing local prices on Private hire for sale in Glasgow Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community. 1 - 4 passengers. Last updated 13 July 2022 + show all updates. However when the applicant is new to the UK there is often not enough information available about the applicant to allow a proportionate assessment to be made based on a DBS disclosure. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Three options are presented for councillors to consider which are summarised as follows: In regard to option b) the report outlines that the standard could be amended to reflect feedback form the consultation as follows: The changes included in options a) and b) would better align Leeds with councils across the country, including neighbouring West Yorkshire authorities and City of York Council, who have already implemented a seven-point threshold. This has included enforcement officers being given the authority to operate lawfully in other licensing districts across the region. A planned eight-hour taxi driver strike on Saturday has led Leeds City Council to warn people to plan their travel in advance. The board will also hear about new policies which have been introduced to help strengthen the ability of the councils licensing team to protect the travelling public, by reducing the risk of unacceptable applicants from obtaining licenses and to take action when any issues with existing license holders arise. We license the drivers and owners of taxis and private hire vehicles (minicabs) who operate in London. The council is making 2.5m available to fund free three-year taxi and private hire licence renewals for drivers, delivering a timely boost to a trade that has been particularly badly affected by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. We have also been working for some time alongside York and all other authorities in West Yorkshire to establish a series of common licensing standards that will mitigate any potential impact of the new deregulation rules and ensure we have a common approach to safeguarding across our region. Leeds City Council Communications team The councils executive board will next week hear about the progress which has been made to further strengthen these arrangements, two years after this was first agreed. "This will affect drivers mentally, financially and in other ways and it's wrong.". They take a customer-centric approach to their work. Department for Transport releases guidelines for fitting safety screens but leaves responsibility for approval to councils, Gett rumoured to be heading for stock market IPO following rumours of merger talks . The licensing committee have recommended the adoption of the following set of standards for taxi and private hire licence holders, in relation to minor motoring offences, to Leeds City Councils executive board: The current standard in Leeds is that taxi and private hire drivers can accrue 12 points on their drivers licence before any action is taken. In England (outside London), Hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire licences are issued by local Councils to control the safe operation of Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles being used for hire or reward. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Following consultation with the trade and public, plans to improve public safety in Leeds by changing taxi and private hire driver licensing standards are to be discussed by councillors next month. The controversial policy was introduced across West Yorkshire in February 2020 but a number . Contact Details Athlone St, Leeds, LS12 1UB . BBC News reports that industrial action by Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation began at 06:00 and is due to run until 06:00 on Tuesday. This is why it is prudent to regularly review our safeguarding policies and ensure we have robust checks in place when issuing and renewing licenses. Funded as part of the councils direct response to the COVID-19 crisis, the free three-year licence renewals will be worth 450 to most taxi and private hire drivers. Amber Cars offer taxi hire & private hire services across Leeds. I believe the proposal we have recommended to executive board strikes the right balance between protecting the travelling public and proactively supporting the taxi and private hire trade across Leeds, through the introduction of additional training and the consideration of cases on individual basis at the nine-point threshold. Westfield Avenue authorises the holder of a taxi or private hire vehicle licence to operate local . It's free of charge! Committee recommend changes to taxi and private hire driver licence standards to improve public safety in Leeds. Total estimated time to obtain a PHVL: 2 Weeks. Call us on 0113 2022 117. . Total estimated cost of obtaining a PHVL: 232. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Supporting drivers means we are supporting those people as well.. Download Uber Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement, Download Uber Eats Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Clean air/air quality Applicants should be due to renew their Leeds licence between March 1 this year and March 31 next year and must also meet the councils current licensing standards. Keep up to date with the latest developments in the Chauffuer and Private Hire industry. Call Charges apply 0343 222 5555 If you wish to do this you should follow the appeals procedure as detailed in our decision letter. Official local authority website for Leeds providing information on local services. In the latest consultation, more than 2,200 responses were received, with a clear split in the views expressed with those from the trade being opposed to the changes and the general public being supportive, with some calling for stricter restrictions to be introduced than those proposed. Leeds Council has announced a multi-million pound support package to help struggling taxi and private hire drivers and operators across the city. Reports will be used to inform future deployments. 2023 Professional Driver Magazine. interviews, licensing committee, Magistrates Court as well as the Crown Court. Before the council can grant licenses for drivers, operators, or proprietors, it must ensure the applicant is a 'fit and proper' person. . Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles. Currently it is acceptable for an applicant to provide a certificate of good character which can take a variety of forms and is often difficult to verify by licensing staff. At the next meeting of the councils executive board, on Wednesday 14 December, members will hear how work to improve safeguarding measures in taxi and private hire licensing has progressed over the past year. As of 31 March 2021, 87 of 281 licensing authorities had a minimum light transmission policy for rear (those that are rear of the B pillar) windows in taxis and 86 for private hire vehicles (table . The meeting of Leeds City Councils licensing committee on Tuesday 9 August will consider the outcome of the consultation process and consider several options regarding the threshold at which action is taken in cases concerning taxi and private hire driver licenses or new applications with minor motoring convictions. The Council is making 2.5million available to fund free three-year taxi and private hire license renewals for drivers, while drivers and operators with a Leeds business address will also be able to apply for 500 grants following the reopening later this month of a coronavirus support scheme for businesses with low fixed property costs. This policy sets out our approach to hackney carriage and private hire licensing to provide transparency and consistency . They are vital to our economy and so often go above and beyond to support vulnerable people in our communities., Leeds City Council Communications team The board will also hear that since January 2015 over 1100 licence holders have attended a Child Sexual Exploitation awareness session, which is now a compulsory part of the licence application and renewal process.