Taxi licence safety row blows up between councils

A row has broken out over taxi passenger safety is being compromised because of the alleged high number of driver licences being issued in Wolverhampton.

A total of 8,563 taxi drivers were awarded a licence in the first five months of this year prompting James Clayton, a member of North Somerset Council, to say this is too many, suggesting income generation was being prioritised over safety.

In the UK, drivers do not need to get their licences from the authority where they aim to operate, but City of Wolverhampton Council said £1m had been invested in licensing and there was no evidence of risks to safety.

"We’ve got the highest standards across the country," leader Stephen Simkins said.

However Mr Clayton, a Labour councillor who represents Weston-super-Mare, said: "We maintain high standards in North Somerset and there’s a reason for that, because we want the public to be safe when they’re using taxis."

That includes testing drivers who have applied for a local licence on their knowledge of the town, but he said many were now appearing with Wolverhampton licences without undergoing the testing.

Also, without directly accusing Wolverhampton, he said he was concerned taxi drivers were being refused a licence in one part of the country and then "shopping around" to be approved elsewhere.

“There is no evidence to suggest any taxi drivers have had their licence revoked by North Somerset Council before applying for a new one with Wolverhampton," Wolverhampton council said.

It said there was one instance, in August 2023, of a driver who held a licence with both councils being found guilty of driving without due care and attention.

He had then had his licence revoked by North Somerset Council when he did not attend a subsequent hearing of its licensing committee.

In response, the Wolverhampton authority said it ordered him to complete a training programme and pass a further test before being re-licensed, but this would have been revoked had he not attended a licensing hearing in the city.

Speaking on BBC WM, Mr Simkins said his authority had brought in new technology to "streamline" its process, but that it was operating to national guidelines.

"We operate the same legislation that Weston-super-Mare operate, so how can we lower the standards?" he asked and said it was "wrong or naughty" to suggest they had.

The Labour councillor said the council's licensing system was bringing in an income of more than £1m a year, but that the council was required to spend that on taxi licensing, so it was not making a profit.

Mr Simkins also said the council had a legal obligation to consider every application it received and asked: "If we’re efficient in that, is that something that’s wrong?"

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