Taxi Driver Online

Well at least they are trying to get some plates issued in restricted areas via this;

Peaked demand.

It is sometimes argued that delays associated only with peaks in demand (such as morning and evening rush hours, or pub closing times) are not 'significant'. The Scottish Government does not share that view. Since the peaks in demand are by definition the most popular times for consumers to use taxis, it can be argued that unmet demand at these times should not be ignored. Local authorities should consider when the peaks occur and who is being disadvantaged through restrictions on provision of taxi services.

And at least I agree with that bit.

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IDFIMH

It would appear that apart from the quantity control issue the majority of this guidance is identical to that issued by the DfT. Especially if this is section is anything to go by.

Scottish version

THE ROLE OF LICENSING: POLICY JUSTIFICATION

7. The aim of local authority licensing of the taxi and PHC trades is to protect the public and to help ensure that the public have reasonable access to taxi and PHC services, given the part they play in local transport provision.

8. Licensing requirements which are unduly stringent will tend unreasonably to restrict the supply of taxi and PHC services, by putting up the cost of operation or otherwise restricting entry to the trade. Local licensing authorities should recognise that too stringent an approach may not be in the public interest - and could, indeed, have safety implications.

9. For example, it is clearly important that somebody using a taxi or PHC to go home alone late at night should be confident that the driver does not have a serious criminal record and that the vehicle is safe. But on the other hand, if the supply of taxis or PHCs has been unduly constrained by onerous licensing conditions, then that person's safety might be put at risk by having to wait on late-night streets for a taxi or PHC to arrive; he or she might even be tempted to enter an unlicensed vehicle with an unlicensed driver illegally plying for hire.

10. Licensing authorities should, therefore, ensure that each of their various licensing requirements is properly justified in terms of the risk it aims to address; or, to put it another way, whether the cost of a requirement in terms of its effect on the availability of transport to the public is at least matched by the benefit to the public, for example through increased safety. This is not to propose that a detailed, quantitative, cost-benefit assessment should be made in each case; but that licensing authorities should look carefully at the costs - financial or otherwise - imposed by each of their licensing policies and consider whether they are commensurate with the benefits the policy is meant to achieve.
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English version

The Role of Licensing: Policy Justification

7. The aim of local authority licensing of the taxi and PHV trades is to protect the public. Local licensing authorities will also be aware that the public should have reasonable access to taxi and PHV services, because of the part they play in local transport provision.

Licensing requirements which are unduly stringent will tend unreasonably to restrict the supply of taxi and PHV services, by putting up the cost of operation or otherwise restricting entry to the trade. Local licensing authorities should recognise that too restrictive an approach can work against the public interest - and can, indeed, have safety implications.

8. For example, it is clearly important that somebody using a taxi or PHV to go home alone late at night should be confident that the driver does not have a criminal record for assault and that the vehicle is safe. But on the other hand, if the supply of taxis or PHVs has been unduly constrained by onerous licensing conditions, then that person's safety might be put at risk by having to wait on late night streets for a taxi or PHV to arrive; he or she might even be tempted to enter an unlicensed vehicle with an unlicensed driver illegally plying for hire.

9. Local licensing authorities will, therefore, want to be sure that each of their various licensing requirements is in proportion to the risk it aims to address; or, to put it another way, whether the cost of a requirement in terms of its effect on the availability of transport to the public is at least matched by the benefit to the public, for example through increased safety. This is not to propose that a detailed, quantitative, cost-benefit assessment should be made in each case; but it is to urge local licensing authorities to look carefully at the costs - financial or otherwise - imposed by each of their licensing policies. It is suggested they should ask themselves whether those costs are really commensurate with the benefits a policy is meant to achieve.

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