Agenda item

To consider information received from a licensed private hire operator that

consideration is given to relaxing the Council’s vehicle age policy in relation to

private hire vehicles that are wheelchair accessible and fitted with hydraulic

lifting equipment.

The Committee considered a report detailing information from the recent Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting and a letter received by Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) from a licenced private hire operator in respect of the Council’s vehicle age policy.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, presented the report and in doing so reminded the Committee that vehicle age policies had been discussed at the recent Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting in January 2016.  Appendix 1 to the report detailed a letter from a licensed private hire operator who had operated in the Borough of Redditch for the past twenty years.  It had been requested by a number of license holders, and the private hire operator mentioned, if consideration could be given to relaxing the Council’s existing vehicle age polices for both hackney carriage and private hire vehicles. 

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, further explained that a balance should be maintained between the needs and requests of the taxi trade and what was deemed to be an appropriate age limit for the purpose of ensuring that vehicles on the taxi fleet were suitable, safe and presentable; whilst also taking into account the continued advances in relation to vehicle safety and reliability.

Members were reminded that any vehicle proprietor with a vehicle that was outside of the Council’s age exemption policy could submit an application for exemption and have their application determined at a Licensing Sub-Committee meeting.  Licensing Sub-Committee Members would then decide whether or not to grant such an application, taking into account any exceptional circumstances that justified them going outside of the Council’s age exemption policy.

In July 2013, the Council updated the vehicle age policy for private hire vehicles in relation to vehicles that were constructed or adapted to load and convey wheelchair users.  These vehicles could be licensed as private hire vehicles provided that the vehicles met all other requirements and were not older than six years of age when first licensed; and could remain licensed until they were not older than twelve years of age from the date of first registration.  In November 2013 the same vehicle age policy was agreed in relation to hackney carriage vehicles.

Further discussion followed whereby Members highlighted that the decision to update the Council’s vehicle age policy, with regard to vehicles constructed or adapted to load and convey wheelchair users, had been changed in the hope that this would increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles on the borough’s taxi fleet.  Councillor Gay Hopkins commented that she had spoken with the Licensing and Support Manager, WRS, who had confirmed that there had been no significant increase in the numbers of this type of vehicle.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner informed the Committee that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had, during its meeting held on Tuesday 16th February 2016, agreed to conduct a Short Sharp Review in respect of Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet.  Councillor Gay Hopkins informed Members that she had been appointed as Chair of the Short Sharp Review in respect of Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet and that the review completion date had been set at 12th April 2016. 

The draft scoping document presented by Councillor Tom Baker-Price to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, had been suggested as a result of the concerns raised at the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting held on 18th January 2016.  One of the agreed actions during the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting was for the Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, to consult with drivers and look at potential ways to incentivise drivers to purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) with a view to increasing the number on the Borough’s fleet.

Members were mindful that there was potential for a duplication of work, should WRS commence a formal consultation on the Council’s current age policy for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, whilst the Short Sharp Review of Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet was also being carried out.  WRS had confirmed that they would be happy to be involved in the Short Sharp Review. 

Following on from specific concerns raised at the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting with regard to the use of, booking of and charges made for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVS); a brief discussion took place on Section 165 (s165) of the Equalities Act 2010 with regard to passengers in wheelchairs.  The Council’s Legal Advisor had previously informed Members that s165 of the Equalities Act 2010 had not been enacted.  However, disabled hackney carriage and private hire passengers were protected from discrimination under the general provision of the Equalities Act 2010, which prohibited any form of discrimination in the provision of goods and services. 

Councillor Anita Clayton informed Members that since being made aware by the Council’s Legal Advisor, that s165 of the Equalities Act 2010 had not been enacted, she had in her role as Chair of the Disability Action Group, Redditch, contacted Karen Lumley, Local MP with regard to s165 of the Equalities Act 2010 to request that a parliamentary question be asked as to when s165 of the Equalities Act 2010 would be enacted.

RESOLVED that

(a)  the contents of the letter, as shown at  Appendix 1 to the report, and the representations made by licence holders at the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting held on 18th January 2016, be noted;

(b)  that the formal consultation on amending the current age polices for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles be deferred, pending the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Short Sharp Review into Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet; and

(c)  that a further report be presented to a future meeting of the Licensing Committee to consider the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Short Sharp Review into Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet; and consideration of the Council’s current age policies for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles.