Taxi and private hire car licensing consultation: responses summary

Section D

Any additional concerns or suggestions:

Question 18: Do you have any additional concerns regarding the issues raised in this consultation?

One of the Local Authorities suggested that the UK and European law still had not decided how to deal with and define a smart app. It was suggested that as the law currently stands a smart phone app-based system is not capable of meeting the description of a "taximeter". And it had to be considered how the public should be protected.

Disability and Accessibility Organisations also highlighted the value of disability awareness training for drivers.

Question 19: Do you have any suggestions or are you aware of existing good practice, for addressing the issues raised in this consultation?

Overall twenty eight respondents offered comments, the majority of these were from Individuals. A wide variety of views were expressed, some of which were also covered in responses to previous questions (e.g. on booking offices and taxi meters). Comments ranged from "There are no existing good practices" to "I think Edinburgh Council taxis are a good example for taxi licensing".

One Local Authorities recommended a licence condition to ensure 3rd party bookings were only accepted from licensed booking operators. This was echoed by one Miscellaneous Organisation and similar comments regarding booking offices were made by another three respondents. Another Local Authority proposed legislative changes: to require booking offices to be licensed in the areas where they are taking bookings and to have a website to provide information to the public; to require all private hire cars to use meters; and to clarify the law on charging for cross border hires to make it clear that fixed fares for the journey cannot be greater than the metered fare. Two Individuals and one Trade Organisation also suggested that all private hire cars should have a meter installed while one Miscellaneous Organisation considered that it was not feasible for all vehicles to have a meter.

A Trade Organisation cited the mandatory taxi training required by Dundee City Council as good practice while a Disability and Accessibility Organisation pointed to the disability/equality awareness training available for taxi and private hire car drivers in Perth.

Other views put forward covered the provision of taxi ranks, the benefits of regulation and of embracing new technology and fares.