Following an in-depth consultation on the licence conditions for taxi and private hire vehicle operators, the Council has agreed to adopt revised conditions which will come into force from 1 October 2019.
The consultation ran from 22 October 2018 to 3 March 2019 and during this time a wide range of drivers, operators and stakeholders delivered their views on new taxi and private hire conditions.
Having now been adopted, these revised conditions will be attached to all new and renewed licences from 1 October 2019. All other operators and drivers must comply with the new conditions by 1 April 2020 at the latest (or by the date on which the licence is due for renewal if sooner).
To ensure a smooth transitional period over the next two years, the Council has put the following arrangements in place–
- The merger of the two existing taxi and private hire vehicle zones into one zone that will cover the whole of East Dunbartonshire;
- A review of the driver and operator applications process to identify what works well and what can be improved;
- The monitoring of the effect of the merging of the zones on the distribution of accessible vehicles across East Dunbartonshire for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues; and
- A cap on the number of taxi operator licences as at the number on 1 October 2019.
In addition the Council is investigating the introduction of a forum to facilitate communication between the Council, the trade and other relevant stakeholders, and officers are progressing work around identifying and/or formalising taxi ranks across East Dunbartonshire.
Joint Leader of the Council, Councillor Vaughan Moody, said, "The changes in conditions have been introduced following extensive engagement with operators, drivers and customers and their introduction will promote safety and make it easier for members of the trade to comply with the law."
Joint Leader, Councillor Andrew Polson, added, "They will also give the Council and Police clear guidance regarding enforcement powers as they clearly set out responsibilities for safety and reliability. Over the next two years we will continue to engage with the public and members of the trade to ensure that these changes have the desired positive outcomes for all concerned."