Meeting

The minutes will be published as soon as they are available.

Purpose

The purpose of this report is for the Licensing Committee to consider the resolution by Council on 17 July 2023 and the subsequent question to Council on 19 March 2024 in respect of considering amendments to the current hackney carriage and private hire statement of licensing policy with the aim of increasing accessibility to taxis and private hire vehicles by persons with disabilities.

RECOMMENDED that the Licensing Committee resolves:

a)    To note the legal framework available to the Licensing Committee with respect to licensing of hackney carriage and private hire vehicles;

b)    To determine whether the current quantity restrictions on hackney carriage vehicles should be reviewed and if so, to require a future report to be prepared for consideration by the Licensing Committee;

c)    To note the publication of the updated Best Practice Guidance issued by the Department of Transport (issued in November 2023);

d)    To require a future report to be prepared for the Licensing Committee to consider the best practice recommendations made by the DfT and whether any amendments are considered appropriate to the current statement of licensing policy.

e)    To note the current ongoing work to provide a full business case, currently being prepared by Traffic and Transportation to investigate the affordability of borrowing, for a scheme to provide wheelchair accessible taxis to the private hire and taxi trade in Portsmouth; and

f)      To note the current policy directive in relation to disability awareness training for licensed drivers.

Purpose.

The purpose of this report is for the Licensing Committee to endorse its support for private hire vehicles licensed by Portsmouth City Council to be allowed to use bus lanes in Portsmouth.

RECOMMENDED:

(a) That the Cabinet Member for Transport notes the support of the Licensing Committee for Portsmouth City Council licensed private hire vehicles (PHVs) to be allowed to use bus lanes in Portsmouth; and

(b) That the Licensing Committee requests their views to be taken into consideration by the Cabinet member for Transport to enable the scheme to be fully implemented to permit Portsmouth PHVs to commence the use of agreed bus lanes in Portsmouth at the earliest opportunity.

Purpose

The purpose of this report is for the Licensing Committee to consider and approve amendments to its current statement of licensing policy for hackney carriage and private vehicles in Portsmouth so far as they relate to minimum age specifications for vehicles that may be licensed.

RECOMMENDED that:

(i) That, as a matter of local policy and condition for both hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licences; all private hire and hackney carriage vehicles presented for initial licensing shall be under 6 years of age on first licensing; and

(ii) That the vehicle meets with the requirements of the PATN guidance as approved by the Council;

(iii) If a vehicle receives a "RED" indicator following its initial mechanical and cosmetic inspection at the Council's nominated garage, there shall be a presumption that the vehicle licence application will be refused;

(iv) That delegated authority be given to the Head of Service to determine refusal of any vehicle licence applications that have incurred a test failure under a "RED" indicator in consultation with the Council's approved vehicle examiner.

(v) As a consequence of the proposed change in policy in relation to minimum age specifications, the existing inspection and testing of vehicles in accordance with the PATN guidance for both types of vehicles be varied as follows:

Vehicles 0 - up to 6 years of age - 1 full test per year;

Vehicles 6 years of age and over - 2 full tests per year;