The full Licensing Committee met on Tuesday morning to hear proposals made by Officers. These proposals were positively received by the committee and several changes have been made to our Taxi & Private Hire Policy.
All changes have been updated on our website, and the new policy document has been uploaded. You can find it at www.oldham.gov.uk/taxis.
THE CHANGES ARE::
Removal of fire extinguishers / first aid kits:
It is no longer a mandatory requirement to carry these items in licensed vehicles. The discretion of the driver can be used, and any items that are carried should be in date and maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions.
Removal of front plates:
Front plates are no longer required on licensed vehicles. In place of these, the Council will be issuing a windscreen disc.
Removal of coming on age for vehicles:
We have removed the lower age limit for vehicles. We now only have maximum age limits of 10 years for regular vehicles and 15 years for wheelchair accessible vehicles and purpose-built hackneys.
Vehicle tests:
The number of tests per year will change to the following:
0 – 3 years old (1 test per year)
3 – 10 years old (2 tests per year)
Over 10 years old (3 tests per year)
Vehicle testing changes will only take place on the next renewal.
Door signs:
Operator door signs will no longer be required on private hire vehicles. In place of these, the Licensing Service will issue new mandatory door signs with the words – “Private Hire Vehicle – Not insured unless booked with the operator”.
As well as the new door sign, vehicle owners will be provided with a holder for the windscreen. Operators will provide their logo to put in this holder and drivers will need to change it for whichever operator they’re working for at any one time.
Removal of VRQ & NVQ:
Applicants will no longer need to undertake the VRQ or NVQ courses.
Removal of Driving Standards Assessment:
Applicants are not required to undertake this assessment, but they can do so voluntarily if they wish.
Removal of location section in the knowledge test:
Our knowledge test has been updated and will no longer include locations. It is now one paper with 20 questions on licensing conditions, customer care, basic numeracy, child sexual exploitation, highway code, road signs.
Breaks in licence:
If you fail to renew your licence, you will no longer need to do another knowledge test if the break is under 5 years. If the break in licence is 5 years or more, you will need to sit the training & knowledge before a licence will be granted.
We have produced a guidance document for “re-application” which can be found on our website under the Driver Renewals section (www.oldham.gov.uk/taxis).
The Licensing Service are working hard to implement these changes in the quickest possible time. We have received quotes for the new door signs and have placed an order for the windscreen stickers replacing front plates.
As soon as these items are in, an email will be sent with instructions on how to swap them over. It will involve coming into the office to return front plates and collecting the new windscreen sticker & holder for the operator logo and collecting the new door signs. We are hopeful we will be able to do this within the next few weeks.
We hope these changes reflect some positive improvements in how you all work as vehicle owners, drivers, and operators and encourage drivers to licence locally rather than going out of the area.
A Reading private hire driver has been fined nearly £2,000 and given six penalty points for illegally plying for hire.
Berkshire Live reports that he committed a number of driving offences during Henley Regatta last year. Sakhawat Mushtaq from Reading holds a private hire licence with Fareham Borough Council.
The 35-year-old man has been found guilty of illegally plying for hire, driving without insurance, failing to wear his council-issued badge, and failing to display the council-issued vehicle plate. It follows a joint operation between Reading Borough Council and South Oxfordshire District Council licensing officers in July 2022.
Officers from each council were patrolling on foot in Thameside, Henley during the Regatta. It was then that they witnessed a Blue Toyota Prius belonging to Mushtaq parked illegally outside the Relais Hotel on double yellow lines.
One officer approached Mushtaq and asked for a trip to Reading Railway Station. Mushtaq confirmed he was available for the journey immediately for £40.
Upon further investigation, it was found Mushtaq was licensed with Fareham Borough Council. As such, he was only insured to carry out pre-booked work through a licensed private hire operator and was not permitted to pick up passengers off the street without a booking in place.
At a hearing at Reading Magistrates Court on May 12, 2023, Mushtaq pleaded not guilty to three offences of illegally plying for hire, driving without insurance and failing to wear his council-issued badge.
Mushtaq was convicted by magistrates on four counts, and was hit with financial penalties of £3,744, including fines totalling £1,960. Six penalty points were also added to Mushtaq’s licence, and he was ordered to pay a £784 victim surcharge.
Cllr John Ennis, Lead Member for Climate Strategy and Transport at Reading Borough Council, said: “This is a great result thanks to the diligent work of the Reading licensing team, in partnership with officers from South Oxfordshire, ensuring regulations are in force to protect the travelling public.
"Unfortunately, we do come across some private hire drivers who think they are above the rules and keen to make a quick profit, I sincerely hope the outcome of this case will serve to further deter any drivers from contravening the law. Such illegal activity will not be tolerated and our team of licensing officers will continue to maintain their vigilant enforcement activities.”
Source: https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/2000-fine-unlicensed-reading-taxi-27075252#
Southampton City Council is to hold a public meeting to decide the fututre of livery for private hire vehicles.
It is proposed that there will be a change of door sign livery that WILL NOT include an operator name.
This will effectively mean that private hire vehicles that display this new door sticker and no other operator advertising will be free to accept bookings from any Southampton operator.
If the change is adopted, Licensing will allow current licensed vehicles to change to the new sticker should they wish. There will be a supply available to purchase from Licensing. This may cause queues at the Licensing Office. Licensing staff will deal with these queues as best as possible but priority will be given to people applying for and renewing licences over those purchasing new door stickers.
If the change is adopted, for vehicles that are new or renewing licences issued on or after the 1st of July 2023 must have the new stickers in place prior to a licence being issued.
For clarification:
All private hire vehicles (except those with written exemptions) must display door signage. Any vehicle seen without will be suspended immediately.
If there is a change of policy, the new door signage will not be optional. Upon renewal, livery must comply with the licence issued at that time.
There will be no need to change existing door stickers until the vehicle renews it licence.
Drivers should note the new job cancellation that is included in conditions should this be adopted.
For 75 years the London based Taxi Charity for Military Veterans has been supporting veterans.
For many years they have been taking veterans to Normandy to the D Day commemorations so that they can pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
This year WWII veterans on the trip included Doug Baldwin and Mervyn Kersh who landed on Gold beach, Ernie Davis who spent D Day on patrol looking for U Boats and minesweeping and Marie Scott who transmitted messages to and from the beaches on D Day.
Younger veterans on the five-day trip included Ben Mead who served in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan and Chris Langford who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The relationship that builds between the volunteer drivers and the veterans is very special and there are always magic moments.
This year during the trip WWII veteran Roy Smith who landed on Sword beach on D Day told Micky Harris, one of the volunteer cab drivers, that in 1944 he managed to get ashore without getting his feet wet. He told Micky that he ‘always felt guilty about that’.
Without hesitation Micky took him into the sea and removed that guilt.
WWII veteran Roy Smith from Sittingbourne said: “Being there brought back the memories of just how many men lost their lives. I had always wanted to go back to that beach, but never realised just how much it would mean to me to do so. I was one of the lucky ones.”
WWII veteran Marie Scott from Surrey said: “Our trip to Normandy was, once again, not only highly enjoyable but, because the nearer we get to the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the more relevant and meaning these occasions become to keep alive those precious memories is absolutely vital.
"The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, with all the help and support it gives us, does just that, So a big Thank You.”
A hero cabbie ran towards a car fire to try to save the driver and passenger.
Russell Cooper was driving when he saw that a car had crashed into a roundabout connecting East Prescot Road and Pilch Lane in Liverpool just before 5am on October 10, 2021.
The Liverpool Echo reports that he rushed towards the incident with a fire extinguisher from his own car, in an attempt to help the passengers still trapped inside as the car burst into flames.
Mr Cooper was able to save the driver, Nasrin Saleh, 26, who was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday June 5.
On March 17, she pleaded guilty to causing the death of passenger Luqman Mehboob by dangerous driving.
Prosecuting, Arthur Gibson told the court that Luqman Mehboob was the passenger in a Volkswagen Golf GTI driven by Saleh that crashed into the roundabout in Knotty Ash on October 10, 2021. He died at the scene.
At around 4.45am on October 10, Saleh was driving the car at 103mph along East Prescot Road after inhaling large quantities of nitrous oxide. She then crashed the car into the roundabout with Pilch Lane, flipping it onto its side before it caught fire.
Saleh had been in Manchester on a night out with friends. She then met with another friend Shujata Begum and they got into the Volkswagen with Mr Mehboob, who drove them around Manchester city centre as they listened to music.
They then got onto the motorway to return to Liverpool. It was at this point that Mr Begum realised that Mr Mehboob and Saleh were both using nitrous oxide canisters.
He later told police that Saleh "was having loads of these, approximately two to three boxes which each contained 15 canisters". Mr Begum was dropped off on Upper Stanhope Street at around 4.15am to return to his own car.
Mr Begum saw the Volkswagen drive off with Mr Mehboob still behind the wheel. The car then drove away from the city centre - it was seen on CCTV from a Shell Garage on Liverpool Road, heading outbound.
At this point, the car was not seen to have been driven erratically or at excessive speed. However, at some point Saleh swapped into the driver's seat and the car turned around to head towards Liverpool city centre. It is not known when or where the swap took place as Saleh answered "no comment" in a police interview.
Shortly before 4.45am, a witness was driving along East Prescot Road at the 40mph speed limit. He saw the Volkswagen overtake him at high speed, which he estimated to be above 80mph.
He saw the car continue at high speed along the road as it approached the roundabout connecting East Prescot Road with Pilch Lane.
The car crashed into the roundabout, taking its front end into the air before it rolled onto its side and then roof. Around ten seconds later, it burst into flames.
Taxi driver Mr Cooper arrived at the scene as the car fire began. He took the fire extinguisher from his car and ran towards the Volkswagen.
He was able to drag Saleh from the wreckage but the fire intensified. While Mr Cooper was carrying Saleh away to safety, she said: "we swapped, we were doing balloons, me baby, me friend, is he still in there".
The taxi driver returned to the fire and tried to reach Mr Mehboob but he was unresponsive. Mr Cooper was forced to step back due to the strength of the fire and smoke.
Merseyside Police, fire and ambulance crews arrived at the scene but sadly nothing could be done to save Mr Mehboob.
Saleh suffered injuries – a fracture to her lower left leg and ankle - and was taken by ambulance to hospital.
Mr Mehboob's body was recovered after the fire was extinguished. A post-mortem examination found that he suffered catastrophic head and internal injuries which meant he lost consciousness immediately, ultimately resulting in his death.
Saleh was jailed for four and a half years. After passing sentence, judge David Aubrey KC praised Mr Cooper's actions. He said: "I commend Mr Cooper, who saved one life but tried in vain to save another. His courage knew no bounds".
Judge Aubrey handed Mr Cooper a High Sheriff award of £250.
Source: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/hero-taxi-drivers-courage-knew-27086249
Artur Nowostawski has been jailed for six years and nine months after he attacked a taxi driver earlier this year.
Taxi drivers in the city are facing significant financial losses after a series of electric vehicle charging point failures left them unable to operate.
Police are appealing for help to trace a man who disappeared after getting into a taxi bound for the Otley area of Leeds.
The company’s operator licence includes a condition ordering all drivers to undergo the same training as those from other companies.
Police have stopped a private hire driver who was driving the wrong way on the M1 close to Junction 8 at Hemel Hempstead.
Newcastle City Council is set to introduce strict new measures to tackle illegal and inconsiderate parking near Newcastle International Airport.
West Mercia Police is appealing for information following a rape that took place in Malvern's Priory Park early on Sunday, August 4th.
Glasgow taxi users could be facing a near-10% fare increase and extended night-time charges.
At least 14 cars have been damaged since June, with drivers suffering financial loss and emotional distress.
The attack happened at around 12.45pm on Etruria Vale Road, Stoke, when the victim, driving a Toyota Avensis, was punched in the face by one of the men.
Cumberland Council has taken decisive action to protect public safety by revoking the licence of a taxi driver charged last week with a serious racially aggravated offence.
A historic bridge has been closed indefinitely after an Uber car became wedged on Saturday morning.
A local councillor has sparked a debate on passenger safety after claiming that using locally licensed taxis is safer than hailing an Uber.
A taxi driver was attacked and subjected to racist abuse after two brothers refused to pay him up front.
Christopher Hilling, 64, admitted to engaging a child in sexual activity at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 8 August.
Abdigani Ebrahim, 38, of Grangetown, admitted charges of affray and criminal damage following the incident in Northcote Street, Roath, last July.
The crackdown targeted drivers operating across council boundaries to ensure public safety and compliance with regulations.
Lucio Valentino relies on his six-year-old Border Collie, Pixel, to help manage his mental health conditions, including depression and personality disorders.
Taxi drivers across the Fylde Coast are set to receive a briefing note aimed at clearing up confusion over out-of-area private hire vehicles.
Police are appealing to find a taxi driver who may have "vital clues" about the murder of Ryan Passey seven years ago since he was fatally stabbed in a Stourbridge nightclub.