Issue - meetings

The Director of Environment, Transport & Planning to present a report which asks Executive to consider the specification of vehicles to which the additional hackney carriage licences recommended by Licensing & Regulatory Committee should be granted, and to recommend to Council that the Taxi Licensing Policy be amended accordingly.

Recommended:  That Council approve a change to the Taxi Licensing Policy in respect of the type of vehicle to which new hackney carriage licences will be issue; those being wheelchair accessible, ‘fully electric’ or ‘plug in electric hybrid London taxis’, and black in colour (as specified in detail in paragraph 25 of the report to Executive), in accordance with Option 1 in the report.

Reason:              To help meet unmet demand for hackney carriage vehicles, particularly from users with a disability, as well as providing a more environmentally friendly and easily recognisable hackney carriage fleet in the city in response to the declared climate emergency and continuing desire to improve air quality.

The Head of Public Protection presented a report which asked Executive to consider the specification of vehicles to which the additional hackney carriage licences recommended by Licensing & Regulatory Committee should be granted, and to recommend to Council that the Taxi Licensing Policy be amended accordingly.

On 7 June 2022, the Committee had recommended that the number of hackney carriage licences available be increased from 183 to 190 to meet the identified unmet demand.  They had also made a recommendation regarding the type of vehicle to which the additional licences should be granted, and this was the matter that Executive was asked to consider.  Three options were available:

·        Option 1 – amend the Taxi Licensing Policy to the vehicle specification in paragraph 25 regarding the grant of any new hackney carriage vehicles licences, as recommended by Licensing & Regulatory Committee

·        Option 2 – Retain the existing vehicle specification outlined in paragraph 16.

·        Option 3 – Specify a different vehicle standard.

In response to comments made under Public Participation and questions from Members, officers confirmed that:

·        The unmet demand survey had been carried out in October 2021, having been postponed due to Covid.

·        The shortage of hackney carriages had been partly due to a lack of drivers, who had left taxi work during Covid.

·        Efforts were being made to address issues with parked cars at the Duncombe Place taxi rank now that more enforcement officers were available.

Recommended:  That Council approve a change to the Taxi Licensing Policy in respect of the type of vehicle to which new hackney carriage licences will be issued; those being wheelchair accessible, ‘fully electric’ or ‘plug in electric hybrid London taxis’, and black in colour (as specified in detail in paragraph 25 of the report to Executive), in accordance with Option 1 in the report.

Reason:              To help meet unmet demand for hackney carriage vehicles, particularly from users with a disability, as well as providing a more environmentally friendly and easily recognisable hackney carriage fleet in the city in response to the declared climate emergency and continuing desire to improve air quality.