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Posted on the 2nd April 2025 in PHTM News
DERBY CITY COUNCIL APOLOGISES TO TAXI DRIVERS OVER LICENSING RULE MIX UP
Derby City Council has issued an apology to over 150 taxi drivers after a communication error led to confusion regarding new vehicle age limit rules.
The controversy stems from a policy, which came into effect on 1 April, stating that vehicles being licensed for the first time must be five years old or less, a significant change from the previous 15-year limit.
The council admitted that the new rule, intended to be implemented from January 1, 2025, was incorrectly communicated to drivers.
"The response provided to Person A was repeated in response to a number of those queries. That information was technically inaccurate as a generic response as the circumstances of a number of the subsequent enquirers were different to that of Person A," the report stated.
This error resulted in some drivers purchasing vehicles older than five years, believing they would be compliant.
The new regulations have sparked significant concern among drivers, with fears that the "very strict" rule could "drive taxi drivers out of business" due to the high costs of newer vehicles.
However, the council maintains that the age limit is necessary "to ensure vehicles are in good condition and more likely to meet current safety and emissions standards."
The communication mishap occurred after a driver, referred to as "Person A," inquired about the upcoming regulations.
The council's response, which was accurate for that specific driver's situation, was then mistakenly applied to other drivers with different circumstances. "In repeating the information provided to Person A, officers inadvertently omitted highlighting that requirement (age limit of five years old)," the report explained.
As a result of the error, the council suspended the rule's implementation for three months until April to rectify the situation.
"To both the trade and to committee, officers offer an unequivocal apology that the anomaly arose in the first place," the report stated.
The council has also pledged to grant licences to drivers "who have acted in good faith on the miscommunication and purchased replacement vehicles that are older than five years old."
At the date of the report, two vehicles have had this discretion applied.
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