Agenda item

Report of Director for Resident Services.

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, highlighting the following points:

(a)  on 27 November 2023, the Committee resolved to authorise a public consultation on proposed changes to the Council’s Age and Specification Policy Relating to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles. This consultation has now concluded, and the Committee is asked to review and accept recommended changes to the policy in light of the consultation. If accepted, the policy would be implemented from 01 April 2024;

(b)  in an update to paragraph 2.5 of the report, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) responded to the proposals on the 18 March 2023. The response notes the recommended changes and that the requirements that Euro 5 vehicles and earlier be removed from the fleet has been met. DEFRA has not challenged the new policy but has requested information on how the Council has considered the impact of the proposal on concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and how the data will be monitored.

Ann Barrett, Team Leader in Legal Services, gave an update regarding the legal advice in the report:

(c)  the legal advice in the report noted a risk in adopting the recommendations while a response from DEFRA was outstanding. This no longer applies as DEFRA has responded, indicating that it is content with the proposals.

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

(d)  the Chair of the Committee recommended a change to point 9 in the policy at Appendix 1, to create alignment in the MOT policy for both Euro 6 and fully electric hackney carriages. Committee members spoke in favour of requiring one enhanced MOT per year up to the age of 11 for both Euro 6 and fully electric hackney carriages, and then six monthly enhanced MOTs up to the age of 15;

(e)  Committee members spoke in favour of the proposals, as a correct balance between environmental concerns, the safety and interests of the travelling public, the needs of drivers, and the good of the trade;

(f)  there was a good response to the consultation, which was supported by a public trade meeting held by the Licensing team. Committee members noted that engagement with the trade was high, and that the proposals received positive feedback.

Resolved:

(1)  To amend point 6 in the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Age and Specification Policy at Appendix 2 to:

6.  MOTs:-

·  All vehicles will have an enhanced MOT on initial application and once yearly thereafter.

·  Over the age of TEN (10) years from the date of first DVLA registration (or ELEVEN (11) years if fully electric) vehicles will be subject to SIX (6) monthly Enhanced MOT inspections.

All Enhanced MOT inspections shall be carried out by Nottingham City Council testers.

(2)  To amend point 9 in the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Age and Specification Policy at Appendix 1 to:

9. MOTs:-

·  All vehicles will have an enhanced MOT on initial application and once yearly thereafter.

·  Over the age of ELEVEN (11) years from the date of first DVLA registration vehicles will be subject to SIX (6) monthly Enhanced MOT inspections.

All Enhanced MOT inspections shall be carried out by Nottingham City Council testers.

(3)  That the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Age and Specification Policy at Appendix 1 (amended as above) be approved to take effect from 01 April 2024.

(4)  That the requirement for a minimum engine size specified in both the private hire and hackney carriages vehicle specifications be removed with effect from 01 April 2024.