Will Scarborough cabbies need to learn 'Knowledge'?
26 October 2009
Changes to Scarborough's taxi policy have been given the green light by the council's cabinet.
The town's 105 hackney carriage licencees and the drivers of its 250 private hire vehicles could now face a compulsory "Knowledge" test for Scarborough if, as expected, the policy is passed by full council next month.
The controversial "dress code" for drivers, which bars them from wearing football, rugby or cricket tops, hoodies, tracksuits or shell suits, will remain in place under the new policy.
The policy, an update of the one agreed by the authority and operators in 2007, also states that drivers must wear the badge awarded to licensed drivers at all times.
The penalties for not complying with the regulations include the potential removal of an operator's licence, if they failed to respond to a written warning, although the borough's licensing department argue that this sanction would only be used sparingly.
Licensing officer Una Faithful told the cabinet: "It has been necessary to undertake a comprehensive review of the council's taxi policy, which needs to be modernised."
She added extensive consultation had been carried out with operators while the policy was being drawn up.
Cllr Phil McDonald, owner of Seaside Taxis and a borough councillor, told the committee that he had fears that the option to remove licences could deprive drivers of their livelihood.
He said: "May I suggest that after a written warning we move to a fine, rather than the revoking of a licence? Would cabinet members agree that this is a better approach?"
He said he was particularly concerned about cases where a driver was unable to display a badge, because he or she had lost it.
However, Cllr Jonathan Dixon, chairman of the overview and scrutiny panel that has been overseeing the review, said: "I don't recall any suggestion during the consultation that these words are excessive."
Mrs Faithful told the meeting: "It is a key condition that drivers wear a badge at all times – it is important in protecting both the public and the trade. It is a prosecutable offence and it is key. If a badge is lost it takes half an hour to turn round a replacement."
Source; ScarboroughEveningNews.co.uk
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