Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Environmental Health Manager regarding Operator door signage.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          The issue was important in relation to community safety.

     ii.          Questioned how this would work for drivers who were also their own Operator (i.e. sole traders).

   iii.          Asked how many operators were registered within the city.

   iv.          Asked if operator’s website details could be included on private hire vehicles.

     v.          Given current technology for example QR codes queried whether the requirement for a telephone number to be included on a private hire vehicle was a step back.

   vi.          Asked if the Council’s telephone number could be used instead of the operator’s number.

In response to Members’ questions the Environmental Health Manager said the following:

       i.          Operators were required to have an office and a telephone. This would mean that drivers would end up taking complaints about themselves if they were sole traders.

     ii.          It was an operator’s responsibility to ensure that private hire vehicles registered with them complied with the licensing conditions.

   iii.          There were 17 operators registered within the city.

   iv.          The purpose of the report was to ensure that an operator’s telephone number was displayed on private hire vehicles for public safety reasons. Potentially other information (including website details) could be included.

     v.          Confirmed that private hire vehicles already had to display the city council’s telephone number in the vehicle. The Environmental Health Manager also confirmed that her number was also displayed in every private hire vehicle. 

An amendment was proposed to change the wording of recommendation 2.1.2 and 2.1.3 to substitute registered for working (deleted text struck through, additional text underlined)

2.1.2   Operators to provide door signs with their telephone number to private hire drivers/vehicles that are registered working with them. 

2.1.3   All vehicles that are registered working with an operator, to display door sign with contact telephone number as of 1 January 2020.

On a show of hands the amendment was carried by 7 votes to 0.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 7 votes to 0):

     i.            To amend the policy to require the mandatory display of a contact telephone number on operator door signs for private Hire Vehicles.

   ii.            Operators to provide door signs with their telephone number to private hire drivers/vehicles that are working with them. 

 iii.            All vehicles that are working with an operator, to display door sign with contact telephone number as of 1 January 2020.