Clr Colin Stout slams taxi drivers for 'dodging' Calderdale Council's rules with legal loophole Why taxi drivers refused a licence by Calderdale are still working there
Taxi drivers are making a mockery of a council’s high standards due to a national loophole, a councillor says.
Brighouse Independent Clr Colin Stout has discovered that a number of taxi drivers operating in the town were refused a licence by Calderdale Council as they didn’t meet standards.
But they have been granted a licence by Rossendale Council and are allowed to operate in Calderdale.
Clr Stout said: “This is making a mockery of everything Calderdale has done to improve standards among our taxi drivers, and a mockery of our own drivers who abide by high standards.”
Clr Stout was promoted to investigate after spotting a speeding taxi in the Tesco car park in Brighouse, who told him he was sub-contracted to a local firm.
Clr Stout said: “Rossendale gives licences under different rules to ours, we have a much higher standard.
“We have a NVQ for taxi drivers and we have a local knowledge test and Rossendale don’t.
“We ask all taxis have on a sticker on the door showing which company they belong to but these cars don’t have that.
“We also ban tinted glass.
“I am concerned and have asked for this matter to be listed for discussion urgently.”
He also said cars are subjected to fewer MOT tests than Calderdale requires, and Rossendale Council permits older vehicles to be taxis, while Calderdale has an upper limit of five years.
Clr Stout added: “There’s this loophole in licensing that means if they get refused by one authority they can go to another and try there. I’ve discovered Stockport and Manchester councils have reported the same problems with taxis licensed by Rossendale.
“Calderdale had done a lot in the last five or six years to improve standards for taxi drivers and we have done it well. We need to stop this.”
Clr Steve Sweeney, Cabinet Member for Communities, said they are aware of the loophole.
He said: “In order to obtain a hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence in Calderdale applicants undergo rigorous checks.
“Once licensed, drivers must comply with the council’s hackney carriage/private hire driver, vehicle licence conditions and the national legislation relating to these licences.
“If they breach these regulations, the council will take appropriate compliance and enforcement action against the driver or vehicle proprietor which may be a written warning or even prosecution.
“Different authorities have different conditions to obtain a licence, but Calderdale licensing enforcement officers have recently secured legal authorisation to enable them to enforce Rossendale Council licensing driver and vehicle conditions on Rossendale vehicles, even if they’re operating in Calderdale.”
But for now they can’t enforce Calderdale conditions on all vehicles.
Passengers can tell Calderdale drivers as they wear a badge which has the council’s logo; all local taxis have a door sign with the council logo and a numbered plate at the rear of the vehicle.
The issue will be discussed the Licensing and Regulatory Committee on April 7.
source:
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yor ... xi-6886388
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