North Yorkshire Council proposes plans to update to its taxi licensing policy

North Yorkshire Council has proposed plans to update its taxi licensing policy, targeting a more inclusive and environmentally friendly regime.

The proposed changes, if adopted, could result in a mandatory requirement for new hackney carriage vehicles to be either Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) or Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs). The updates are scheduled to be reviewed by the General Licensing and Registration Committee on 3 September 2024. The committee's recommendations will then be presented to the Council's executive on 17 September 2024 and if approved, a 12-week public consultation will follow, allowing members of the public and the trade to express their views on the proposed policy changes.

If the proposals are approved, new licensing requirements would be phased in from 1 April 2025 for new vehicles and 1 January 2030 for existing ones. This timeline would be set to allow current licence holders time to transition to compliant vehicles.

These changes are only set to impact hackney carriage vehicles and not private hire vehicles. In addition, the council is responding to trade requests by introducing new emission standards, revising vehicle testing frequency, and offering drivers the chance to apply for specific types of licences.

Cllr Greg White (Executive Member for Licensing) states:

"We remain committed to ensuring the availability of an accessible and affordable taxi service across North Yorkshire, especially for those who are particularly reliant on it as a means of travel.

"In the past, we have explored other incentives to increase the number of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles. However, the number in North Yorkshire remains steady, so we are proposing to take a bold step and require all new applications for hackney carriages to be either a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle or Zero-Emission Vehicle, along with a phasing out period for existing vehicles.”

Cllr Tim Grogan (Chair of the General Licensing and Registration Committee) also commented that:

“The licensing policy is never static, it is always changing, being interpreted or redefined. The committee understands this and will robustly debate the issues raised in order to improve our hackney carriage and private hire service.”

If this proposed policy travels through to consultation, it will be interesting to hear the views of the trade and members of the public.