Agenda item

Report of Interim Director for Communities.

Nick Burns, Licensing and Policy Manager, presented the report regarding the Review of Age and Specification Policy Relating to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles, and highlighted the following points:

(a)  The Committee was asked to consider proposals to amend the Council’s Age and Specification Policy, including the removal of the requirement for a minimum engine size, and to release the proposals for a four-week consultation;

(b)  The current Age and Specification Policy was adopted on 18 December 2017, and outlined various requirements to be implemented over a range of dates up to 01 January 2030. It is felt appropriate to review the Policy in light of changes in market and trade, and to reflect changes to national guidance and policy;

(c)  The government recently announced that restrictions on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles would be pushed back from 2030 to 2035, reducing the urgency to move the fleet to newer vehicles. It is proposed that the implementation date for requiring any vehicle being licensed for the first time as a hackney carriage or private hire to be ZEC ULEV be moved back from 01 January 2025 to 01 January 2027;

(d)  Since the adoption of the policy, a number of hackney carriage proprietors have chosen not to move over to Euro 6 and ZEC ULEV vehicles, in some cases resulting in appeals against the Council’s decision not to renew licences for non-policy compliant vehicles, which were dismissed. A number of proprietors have chosen to leave the trade or move to other licensing authorities. There has been a reduction in the number of hackney carriage licenses issued from 411 to 205, and a reduction in private hire licenses from 1850 to 1566 since December 2019;

(e)  The trade has advised that it is difficult to source compliant vehicles, due to price increases and competition. There has also been a reduction in the makes and models of compliant vehicles being manufactured;

(f)  A significant number of proprietors are choosing to license their vehicles with other licensing authorities to keep using non-compliant vehicles, and are often able to continue to lawfully come into the Council’s administrative area to trade, which can affect the Council’s ability to keep members of the public safe where other licensing authorities’ standards may not be in alignment;

(g)  A review has been carried out which seeks to address these issues while maintaining public safety and welfare. It is hoped that the proposed revisions will encourage proprietors to return or apply to the Council as licensing authority so that the majority of the fleet operating in the city is licensed by the Council, so that the Council has the ability to inspect vehicles, take appropriate enforcement action when necessary and increase public safety;

(h)  While the revised Policy applies less stringent requirements than those originally introduced, they aim to address the practicalities around current supply issues and financial climate while being consistent with guidance and without compromising passenger safety and welfare.

In the discussion which followed, and in response to questions from the Committee, the following points were made:

(i)  The reduced emissions resulting from the policy are positive, but the reduction of licensed vehicles due to the cost is concerning, as is the situation whereby the city is flooded with vehicles licensed by other local authorities with different standards;

(j)  Members supported the removal of the minimum engine size policy, given changes in technology to increase their effectivity and efficiency;

(k)  Committee Members questioned the difference in timing before a vehicle requires two enhanced MOTs per year, which is proposed as ten years for fully electric vehicles and seven for others. Members asked if it may be more appropriate to equalise this at ten years, given the investments licence-holders have made in upgrading to Euro 6 compliant vehicles. Officers advised that this is based on technical feedback and DfT guidance, but that alternative viewpoints could be considered through the consultation process;

(l)  Alongside the consultation, Licensing officers will approach the Secretary of State to consider the implications of the current Ministerial Order on the proposed changes;

(m)Committee Members questioned whether four weeks would be enough time for a consultation, given that a lot of drivers work unsociable hours and many citizens might struggle with online access, and supported a five week consultation starting in January. Officers advised that face to face consultation would be included, as well as consultation with trade unions and operators. There is potential to extend the consultation depending on how long it takes to receive feedback from the Secretary of State;

(n)  With the consultation on reducing the number of hackney carriage licences also taking place starting in January, it will be important to make sure that communications are clear and avoid any confusion. Committee Members were urged to promote the consultations among members of the public they are in contact with as Councillors, as they are open to all members of the public;

(o)  Committee Members asked if any support was available to help with procuring compliant vehicles. When the Age and Specification Policy was first adopted, the Council did get a grant from the government to help drivers with the costs of procuring an electric vehicle, and a number of hackney carriage licence-holders were able to take advantage of that. However, the grant funding, which was introduced just before the onset of Covid-19, had strict time limits. The authority sought an extension of the time limit due to the impact of Covid-19 on the trade, but were not granted an extension. No future funding is currently anticipated, but the Council will put forward bids for any grant funding that may become available in the future to support drivers.

Resolved:

(1)  that the proposed updated Age and Specification Policy be released for public consultation for a five-week period starting in January 2024, together with the proposal to remove the requirement for a minimum engine size in the vehicle specification for both private hire vehicles and hackney carriages.