Councillor James Lewis, executive member for resources and strategy said: The safety of the public travelling around our city is paramount and it is our responsibility to minimise any risk posed to people using a taxi or private hire vehicle. 2023 Professional Driver Magazine. Apply for a duplicate badge or licence. Kingsley Brookes Solicitors may be able to help you. We are also the enforcement authority and work closely with the Metropolitan and City of London Police services to ensure that drivers, operators and vehicles are compliant with taxi and private hire legislation, regulations and policy. In England (outside London), Hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire licences are issued by local Councils to control the safe operation of Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles being used for hire or reward. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The free three-year license renewals will be worth 450 to most taxi and private hire drivers and applicants should be due to renew their Leeds license between March 1 this year and March 31 next . Read the taxi and private hire licensing policy Significant strengthening of the policy for dealing with licensing applications by non UK citizens and additional fraud detection training for the licensing team has helped to reduce the risk of applicant fraud. Learn how to get your private hire licence with ease through our free Ignition Programme. Office Number: (0113) 249 9999. Leeds City Council Communications team In addition, many people especially those with mobility needs or a disability rely on taxis and private hire vehicles to get around. The councils executive board will next week hear about the progress which has been made to further strengthen these arrangements, two years after this was first agreed. Call us on 0113 2022 117. . . We license the drivers and owners of taxis and private hire vehicles (minicabs) who operate in London. Senior councillors will next week discuss how Leeds City Council is keeping people who use taxis and private hire vehicles in the city safe. If you are still unhappy you may ask for a final review by writing to: General Manager Customer Correspondence Manager About this policy. Call us now. Although that review concluded that Leeds own procedures and policies were comprehensive, effective and robust, it was agreed there was still more which could be done. However, the council is reviewing its policy on minor motoring convictions due to statutory guidance issued by the Department of Transport. Taxi and private hire accessibility. In order to tackle this issue regionally, Leeds has joined forces with the other West Yorkshire authorities and York City Council to work cohesively on taxi and private hire licensing policy, decision making and enforcement capabilities. They would be able to continue working and could still renew their licence. For further information about these free renewals, visit https://www.leeds.gov.uk/business/licensing/taxi-and-private-hire-licensing/free-driver-licensing. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. Since 1988. PDF. Further to this new set of standards, Leeds City Council's Licensing Committee have determined that for a 12-month pilot, any decision to revoke a licence on the basis of minor motoring convictions will be determined by a Licensing Sub Committee. Grants are also on offer to taxi and private hire vehicle owners who have switched to low-emissions vehicles. A member of our team will be in touch as soon as possible. It will also include further work on safeguarding including training on child sexual exploitation and human trafficking and the adopting a standard convictions policy and convictions criteria.. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Our cross council safeguarding group, which includes representatives from the citys adult and childrens safeguarding boards, has been closely involved in developing our new policies and procedures. External link; Taxi and private hire licensing policy and procedures. The PCO licence is valid for 3 years and is issued by the PCO (Public Carriage Office), who are part of Transport for London (TfL). Taxi and private hire vehicle owners who switched to low emission vehicles on or before February 28 last year will also be offered free three-year license renewals. Total estimated time to obtain a PHDL: 10 Weeks. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies for this visit and subsequent visits. Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: The pandemic has had a major impact on people working in many different sectors across Leeds, with taxi and private hire drivers among those most seriously affected. Cookie Policy Taxi and private hire drivers and operators with a Leeds business address will also be able to apply for 500 grants following the reopening later this month of a coronavirus support scheme for businesses with low fixed property costs. They may stop anywhere to pick up or drop off their passengers. Coronavirus Terms & Conditions authorises the holder of a taxi or private hire vehicle licence to operate local . Keep up to date with the latest developments in the Chauffuer and Private Hire industry. Please note that the estimated times listed . Amber Cars offer taxi hire & private hire services across Leeds. Contact Details Athlone St, Leeds, LS12 1UB . These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Taxi and private hire vehicle owners who switched to low emission vehicles on or before February 28 last year will be offered free three-year licence renewals that will be paid for using a further 1.8m of retained CAZ money rather than COVID-19 funding. Official local authority website for Leeds providing information on local services. In coming to the recommendation, the committee considered the representations received from the public consultation together with the statutory guidance and the Institute of Licensing Framework. result in your appeal being refused. Following issues raised in the 2014 report into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham about safeguarding controls in taxi and private hire licensing, Leeds City Council decided it was prudent to review its own safeguarding arrangements. To contact us about a licensed taxi or private hire driver or operator: online via our taxi and private hire comment form; call us on 0343 222 4000 (09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays) Applicants or licensees. The recommendations of the licensing committee will now be considered for adoption at the next meeting of Leeds City Councils executive board on September 21. The LGO is an independent national service that investigates complaints against local authorities, such as Transport for London. The action, over new criteria for awarding driver licences, will be . Leeds City Council Communications team Following consultation with the trade and public, plans to improve public safety in Leeds by changing taxi and private hire driver licensing standards are to be discussed by councillors next month. Contact us about vehicle licensing. Amber Cars is one of the largest private hire operators in Leeds, UK. If you wish to do this you should follow the appeals procedure as detailed in our decision letter. Licensing & Registration Services Taxi and Private Hire Licensing 225 York Road Leeds, LS9 7RY Tel: 0113 3781570 taxiprivatehire. Supporting drivers means we are supporting those people as well.. This policy sets out our approach to hackney carriage and private hire licensing to provide transparency and consistency . Email taxi.stats@dft.gov.uk. The guidance states that applicants with multiple motoring convictions may indicate that the driver does not exhibit the behaviours of a safe road user or one that is suitable to drive professionally. Renew your Hackney Carriage (Taxi) Driver licence. apply to get your licence back we can help you. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Book a taxi in Leeds with Wheels Private Hire and Amber Cars. Amber Cars 2023. Supporting drivers means we are supporting those people as well.. It's free of charge! Subscribe to our regular newsletter and news alert service. The Private Hire operator shall retain a copy of the Hackney Carriage vehicle licence granted by another Authority along with a copy of the MOT certificate, certificate and policy of insurance and vehicle registration document and forward a copy of those documents to the Leeds City Council, Taxi & Private Hire Licensing Office within 72 hours. To contact us about licensing or any other element of our service: email us at: tph.enquiries@tfl.gov.uk communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk. At the next meeting of the council's executive board, on Wednesday 16 December, members will hear how work has progressed to improve safeguarding measures in taxi and private hire licensing over the past year. The strike comes after Leeds Taxi and Private Hire Organisation (LPHDO) continue to . . They must also meet the council's current licensing standards. Millions of passengers use our taxi and private hire services each year because we have more available vehicles than anyone else. The council must have regard to the guidance and have a clear and compelling reason not to implement the standards it sets. We have also been working for some time alongside York and all other authorities in West Yorkshire to establish a series of common licensing standards that will mitigate any potential impact of the new deregulation rules and ensure we have a common approach to safeguarding across our region. Download. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Are you a taxi driver, proprietor, or operator and a licence has been refused, suspended, revoked or has conditions For any new applications for a taxi and private hire drivers' licence, licenses will not be granted if the driver has already accrued seven or more points for minor motoring convictions. Councillor Mary Harland, chair of the licensing committee said: The safety of the public travelling around our city is paramount and it is our responsibility to minimise any risk posed to people using a taxi or private hire vehicle. The council has announced 2.5m funding for three-year taxi and private hire licence renewals for drivers affected by the lockdown restrictions. Taxi and Private Hire E20 1JN. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The council announced in October last year that improvements in air quality and a rise in the number of cleaner, greener vehicles on the citys roads meant the CAZ scheme did not need to go ahead. Notify a conviction, allegation, or pending matter. Calls are handled by the same friendly staff, and taxi bookings are completed by the same local driver-partners. As a taxi or private hire customer, applicant or licensee there are several ways you can contact us. Senior councillors will next week discuss how Leeds City Council is keeping people who use taxis and private hire vehicles in the city safe. Number of taxi and private hire licences as at 04/11/2015. The local authority held a consultation over changes to the licencing rules around motoring convictions. Members noted that for a small number of sections of the g uidance, . If a full investigation is required then we may need a little longer but we will keep you informed of the progress of your complaint. 5 Endeavour Square All downloads for taxis and private hire licensing. For vehicles that have a LPG system fitted during the currency of a Private Hire vehicle licence, they must inform the Taxi and Private Licensing office in writing and produce the above certification within 7 days. Leeds Council has announced a multi-million pound support package to help struggling taxi and private hire drivers and operators across the city. 0 Comments Department for Transport releases guidelines for fitting safety screens but leaves responsibility for approval to councils, Gett rumoured to be heading for stock market IPO following rumours of merger talks . At the next meeting of the councils executive board, on Wednesday 14 December, members will hear how work to improve safeguarding measures in taxi and private hire licensing has progressed over the past year. Owners who bought an eligible vehicle on or after February 28, 2020 can apply for a transitional grant worth 2,100. By cogdell memorial hospital ceo. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Owners who bought an eligible vehicle on or after February 29 last year, for example, can apply for a transitional grant worth 2,100. DOC. representation can make a difference. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. leeds taxi and private hire licensing contact number. Following consultation with the trade and public, plans to improve public safety in Leeds by changing taxi and private hire driver licensing standards are to be discussed by councillors next month. The 1.9m funding for the transitional grants has been retained by the council after originally being secured as part of Leedss Clean Air Zone (CAZ) scheme. communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk. . Your form has been successfully submitted. This procedure outlines how you can complain to us about the services we provide or the drivers and operators we license. The options included in the report to licensing committee reflect the wide range of views received as part of the consultation process including option b) which makes a number of changes which respond positively to the feedback received. The current standard in Leeds is 12 points on a drivers licence before action is taken, but work has been progressed to consider changes considering the national Institute of Licensing framework which was introduced in 2018 and includes a lower threshold of seven points as the recommended standard where formal action should be considered. Stratford, London These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Fourth Floor - Area 4B This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It is essential that you seek expert legal advice straight away. Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council deputy leader, said the final plan addresses drivers' concerns but would also improve public safety. Licensing Regulation and Charging We will respond to your complaint within 10 working days.