Bridgend taxi companies face licensing change

Proposed changes for licensing conditions to taxi services in Bridgend county borough have been discussed this month.

Among the proposed changes discussed at a meeting on Tuesday, September 27, were a number of points for the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle licence conditions, specifically aimed at the safety of passengers.

They included the addition of a log book, recording details of drivers using leased cabs in the borough, as well as the requirement for drivers to inform the council of changes in health or convictions. All changes proposed were set to be subject to a 14-day consultation period with the trade, however councillors in attendance felt the time-frame was too short, recommending the approval on the basis it was altered to a 12-week consultation period.

Cllr Robert James was in attendance and said while he agreed with the amendments, he felt more time had to be given to consult with taxi companies in the area. He said: "I totally agree with what we're doing. We have to think of the safety of the public, but with this 14-day period are we only talking about 10 days if we're not including Saturday and Sunday in that? Because I don't think that two weeks is long enough for a consultation with the taxi companies."

The change would come for companies who rent, lease, hire or loan out their Hackney Carriage Vehicle or Private Hire Vehicle in Bridgend, as they would be required to keep a detailed register where they enter the details of the driver to whom the vehicle has been rented or loaned to.

Things such as the the name and address of the driver, the plate and registration number of the vehicle, as well as the date and time the vehicle is rented by the driver would need to be kept for a minimum of 12 months. Officers say this would help the Licensing Authority as it would ensure those who drive licensed hackney carriage vehicles can be more easily traced when investigating complaints.

Other requirements on the updated list would mean the licensee would have to notify the council in writing within seven days of any change or deterioration to their health which requires notification to the DVLA. They would also have to notify the council if they were convicted of any offence or received a caution, warning, fixed penalty notice or any other kind of penalty notice that was the subject of any pending criminal investigation. After a vote, members agreed that the 14-day time-frame was too short and instead chose to approve the consultation on the basis it was altered to 12 weeks. You can read more of our stories from Bridgend here.