Hackney carriage and private hire licensing
Licensing
Development Directorate
Harvey Combe
Killingworth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE12 6UB
Tel: 0191 643 2165
email: taxi.licensing@northtyneside.gov.uk
Consultation: Proposals to amend Standard Conditions of Licence for Private Hire Operators
North Tyneside Council is seeking your views on proposals to amend its standard conditions of licence for private hire operators. As part of the process the proposed amended conditions are offered for public consultation between 28 June and 26 July 2010.
Changes to the standard conditions attached to private hire operators are being considered with a view to ensuring that private hire operators licensed by this Council use only vehicles and drivers licensed by this Council (and therefore subject to the same local controls) to fulfil bookings.
The proposals are aimed at enabling the Council to maintain local control of licensing and effectively carry out it's enforcement duties.
Please send your comments to the Licensing Team. You may use the form on the right side of this page.
The Licensing of hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, their drivers and operators of private hire vehicles is carried out by the Licensing Team.
You can contact a member of the Licensing Team for:
- general enquiries
- application forms
- knowledge tests
- vehicle testing
- informal or confidential advice
- if you wish to make a comment about the conduct of a driver, the condition of their vehicle or an Operator
- Repeal of the PHV Contract Exemption
Section 75(1)(b) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 is to be repealed on 28 January 2008. This section, which is commonly known as "the contract exemption", currently exempts from PHV licensing requirements vehicles engaged on contracts lasting not less than seven days.
From 28 January 2008 the changes to the law on private hire licensing meant a much wider range of vehicles for hire will need to be licensed. This included:
- hospital cars
- private ambulances
- school transfers
- hotel and airport transfers
- novelty vehicles
The vehicle, driver and operator will need to be licensed and meet the current private hire requirements. There must be some element of reward for the service for the vehicle and driver to need to be licensed.
Reason for changes:
To allow Councils to carry out safety checks on vehicles and suitability checks on drivers. This means people hiring or making use of such vehicles will feel more secure knowing that the business is licensed, the vehicles are safe and the drivers have been vetted in accordance with specific standards