The Licensing Manager presented the report of the Director of Law and Corporate Services which considered the results of a consultation in respect of the current criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles as well details of all the written comments made by those responding to the consultation.  The report provided recommended amendments to the criteria having regard to the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards and the Department for Transport Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Best Practice for Licensing Authorities in England. The details of relevant criteria used in the other Licensing authorities within the City Region were also provided to Members of the Committee.

Resolved: That

1. the following amendments to the criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles contained within the Council’s Statement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy be approved:

a) The requirement that Hackney Carriage Vehicles presented for licensing for the first time must be 3 years old or less from the date of manufacture be replaced with the following:

A vehicle presented for the grant of a Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence with Wirral Council must have been compliant with Euro 5 emission standards at the date of first registration. 

b) The requirement for MOT testing for Hackney Carriage Vehicles be replaced with the following:

A Hackney Carriage Vehicle that is 11 years of age or more from the date of first registration, will be subject to a licence of no more than 6 months and will therefore be required to pass an MOT and Compliance test every 6 months.

c) That the following criteria be removed:

In circumstances when a Hackney Carriage Vehicle proprietor wishes to change a Hackney Carriage Vehicle that is currently licensed to a different vehicle the replacement vehicle must be the same age or less than the vehicle that is currently licensed, up to a maximum of 10 years old. Vehicles that are ten years old or more must be replaced by a vehicle that is no more than ten years old.

d) The requirement that Private Hire Vehicles must be 10 years of age from the date of manufacture or date of first registration whichever is the earliest, be replaced with the following:

A vehicle presented for the grant of a Private Hire Vehicle Licence with Wirral Council must have been compliant with Euro 6 emission standards at the date of first registration. 

e) The requirement for MOT testing for Private Hire Vehicles be replaced with the following:

A Private Hire Vehicle that is 8 years of age or more from the date of manufacture, will be subject to a licence of no more than 6 months and will therefore be required to pass an MOT and Compliance test every 6 months.

f) The requirement for tinted windows in respect of both Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles be amended as follows:

The front windscreen must allow at least 75% of light through, the front side windows must allow at least 70% of light through and the windows rear of the B-pillar must allow a minimum light transmission of 30%. No windows or glass fitted to the vehicle may have been subject to an enhanced film / after-market tinting post manufacture.

g) The requirement in respect of an additional step for Private Hire Vehicles be amended as follows:

A vehicle with a top tread for the entrance which exceeds 38cms from the ground must be fitted with a step to allow easy access into and egress from the vehicle. Any vehicle that does not have a step fitted must carry a portable step to be available for passengers. Both a fitted and portable step must be robust to carry the weight of a passenger and covered with a non-slip surface. The step height must be no more than 38cms from the ground. The driver of the vehicle must risk assess the use of a portable step on each occasion it is requested by a passenger.

2. That the recommended amendments to the criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles have immediate effect.

3. Authorise the Licensing Manager to amend relevant licensing documents in accordance with any amendments made to the criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles.