Taxi Driver Online

October 15, 2007 Monday

Taxi drivers must renew licences every year

Samrana Hussain

Lancashire Telegraph

TAXI drivers will have to renew their licences annually to show that they are a fit and proper' person, under council plans.

Rossendale Council will reduce the licence renewal period from three years to one after recent investigations highlighted taxi drivers had been failing to declare recent convictions.

The move, which was approved by the council's licensing committee, comes after an amnesty revealed 19 of the 26 taxi drivers, who responded, had failed to disclose offences, which ranged from speeding to failure to comply with traffic light signals.

A recent DVLA investigation also found that of 25 randomly selected drivers, seven had convictions in the last three years and an average of six penalty points.

Rossendale Taxi Association said they were happy with the annual licence renewal but raised concerns about the increase in the cost of the renewals, which will rise by £35-a-year to £85.

Robert Back, of the taxi association, who attended the licensing meeting on Monday October 8, said: "It makes sense for safety reasons because the council have to be sure the person is fit and proper.

"We are happy with the 12 month renewal if the price is right.

"We have no problems with the 12 month licensing. It is the price which has nearly doubled which concerns us."

A council spokesperson said: "Bringing in annual licenses, which will include an annual statutory declaration, will help the council to collate more up-to-date information relating to licensed driver's current addresses, new medical details, and any convictions, cautions and fixed penalty notices there may be.

"This will help us to decide whether someone is a fit and proper person' to drive a taxi as is required by law.

"Annual licences compared to the current three-year licences are more in the interest of public safety.

"Council tax payers cannot be expected to subsidise the licensing of taxis in Rossendale.

"The proposed fees for the new annual licences reflect the extra administration time and cost to the council."

The matter will be discussed at the next cabinet meeting, who will be asked to sanction the decision.
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Submitting a sworn declaration each year would produce the same results or if they wish they could even have a crb check every year. In my opinion there is no need to renew a license every 12 months.

Regards

JD

I hope you will be informing them JD

Does a CRB check include penalty points on your license? I am just renewing my badge and my enhansed CRB check doesn't mention a check with the DVLA in fact I had to pay another £5 for a certificate from the DVLA which details the penalty points on my license. Why do the council need this certificate? They inspect my licence at renewal anyway?

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Grandad,

Failing to inform their LA is one thing, JD. Making a false decleration at renewal is quite another, at least in the mindset of the driver. Also, with an annual renewal they can inspect their driving licences more often.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

No.

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IDFIMH

The DVLA check is because some naughty boys and girls in the trade realised that if they applied for a duplicate licence from the DVLA, claiming they had "lost" the original, (when they had not). They would then have two clean licences, one to produce to the police and courts for endorsements, and the original "clean" licence for the licencing department, and no need to declare offences, thus remaining fit and proper. Never did it myself, no need, when you don't speed. What do you say JD?

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Former taxi driver

I thought I had already addressed the declaration situation in another thread where I said "there was nothing stopping the council from requesting annual declarations" and if they wanted to see a license every year then there is nothing to stop them doing that. That doesn't mean that licenses shouldn't or cannot be issued for periods of one, two or three years.

A council can ask for any information they want and at any time they like, regardless of how long a license runs for?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

You've just described several criminal offences and if anyone committing such acts were caught then they would face severe penalties.

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

A little bit of an up-date. Seems to me they don't know what they are doing.

Huge increase in licensing fees

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IDFIMH

obviously they have not read the Best practice guidance

Got my licence issued today for 3 years

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you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

We have also gone from 3 yearly back to annual licenses just renewed mine last week

Licence......................£67
Medical......................£41.12
CRB Check................£36.00

Total..........................£144.12 !!!!

When I first got my badge in 1991 it cost me £10.00

Scottish borders

licence £175 per year everything included
Crb check free every 3 years
drivers badge £75 per year