Meeting

RECOMMENDED that the minutes of the Licensing Policy meeting held on 16 December 2021 be approved as a correct record

Purpose.

To consider proposed amendments to the adopted statement of licensing policy for the control and supervision of the hackney carriage and private hire trades within Portsmouth (the PCC policy).

To note and implement, where necessary, changes to the PCC policy having regard to the statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Transport in July 2020.

To submit the proposed policy amendments for trade and public consultation between the period 01 August and 30 September 2022.

To reconvene at a future date to consider all responses received.

RECOMMENDED that the Licensing Committee:

Notes and approves the contents of the report and appendices and delegates authority to the Head of Service to arrange for the formal distribution and consultation on any agreed proposed amendment to the PCC policy and for responses to be received between 01 August and 30 September 2022.

Agree to meet on a future date after 30 September 2022 to consider any policy amendments (in light of and having regard to any representations received) and with a view to agree an implementation date for the policy and any approved changes.

Note/ approve the use of the existing penalty points system and other delegated powers to enforce the requirement that PCC prescribed livery must be displayed on licensed vehicles as set out in paragraph 3.4 of the report.

Purpose.

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the recently approved

changes to the Private Hire Vehicles in bus lanes trial following the decisions

taken by the Traffic & Transportation Committee on the 5 July 2022. The report

details these changes and the justifications for these amendments.

The following recommendations were adopted in the Traffic & Transportation

committee on the 5th July 2022:

§  A trial was approved to allow access for Portsmouth City Council Licensed Private Hire Vehicles to use a limited number of five bus lanes in Portsmouth for a minimum of 3 months including:

-          Cavell Drive,

-          Marketway,

-          Mile End Road,

-          Bishop Crispian Way,

-          and Queen Street.

§  Delegated authority to immediately cease any or all of the five trial locations if safety issues become apparent.

§  Delegated authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and the Section 151 Officer to release funding to undertake the monitoring and evaluation of this trial as the details are developed, this will be funded from the Parking Reserve.

§  Noted that consultation will continue with the working group and licensing committee will continue as the project develops.

§  Noted that a report will be brought back to Traffic & Transportation within 6 months of the trial launch to provide an update on the trial progression and next steps.

RECOMMENDED that the report be noted.