Councillor Zee Russell, chair of the Statutory Licensing Committee and Regulatory Committee, has been reselected as the Chair of the Regulatory Committee. Councillor Russell expressed excitement about another year of collaboration with officers and the trade, especially with numerous significant changes under consideration by the committee.
The service conducted its largest consultation earlier this year, following the Department for Transport’s Best Practice Guidance. Over 2,200 responses were received on various topics.
Councillor Russell also highlighted the importance of raising awareness on issues such as NIP farms and ghost plates. Additionally, drivers are reminded to ensure their current address is on file, as new badges will be posted in the coming weeks.
Last year, The City of Wolverhampton Council and South Staffordshire Council launched a twelve-week consultation to discuss significant changes to the hackney carriage and private hire licensing regime. The consultation covered various topics, including:
• Inclusive service plans
• Driver medical certification
• Private hire drivers working with multiple operators
• Removal of signage on private hire vehicles
• Certificates of Good Conduct
• Daily walkaround checks of vehicles
• Removing age limits in place of emissions limit
• Driver training for every licence renewal
• Defining assistance dogs
• Allowing MOT certificates from any testing station
• Private hire vehicle operators as agent/principle
These matters will be reviewed by the Regulatory Committee on 12 June 2024. Any agreed changes will be communicated to the trade.