Agenda item

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submits a report to request that the Committee grant an exemption from the Council’s Conditions of Fitness for Hackney Carriages for a LEVC TX ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) the period of time that it is owned by Leicester City Council.

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report to request that the Committee grant an exemption from the Council’s Conditions of Fitness for Hackney Carriages for a LEVC TX ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) the period of time that it is owned by Leicester City Council.

The Chief Licensing Officer presented the report, and drew Members’ attention to the following points:

·         The Committee had approved the current hackney carriage conditions of fitness on 27 July 2017, and in March 2018 the Committee had approved the LEVC TX ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) for licensing as a hackney carriage, though none had been licensed to date, possibly due to drivers awaiting grant funding towards purchase costs.

·         The Council was in the process of purchasing a LEVC TX ULEV for use by the Passenger Transport Service to be used for wheelchair users in place of a minibus.

·         The intention was to subsequently licence the vehicle as a hackney carriage to lease short-term to drivers in the hope that they see it as economically viable.

·         The vehicle with the ‘clean air’ logo would be the first vehicle of its kind to be licensed in Leicester, and would stand out as a clean vehicle. It would require exemption from the standard condition of fitness item 46 which required hackneys to be black or predominantly black, and the exemption would be specific for the Council’s vehicle.

·         The LEVC TX ULEV would have the Leicester City Council crest on the bonnet and front doors, and licence plate to the rear.

·         It was expected the vehicle would be owned by the Council for two years.

During the discussion that followed, the Chief Licensing Officer checked the Council’s database to confirm there were no licensed ULEVs in Leicester, but there were some licensed hybrids.

It was noted that the intention was for the passenger transport service to retain the vehicle for two years. The blue wrap would be removed, as the actual vehicle would be black. There would be publicity and marketing from Passenger Transport and Highways.

Members were supportive of the idea and were pleased so see the Council taking the initiative to allow other drivers to experience the vehicle, and that there would be no issue for disposal at the end of the two years. They requested that tight rules be drawn up for the leasing of the vehicle to other drivers.

The Chief Licensing Officer informed Members that since the temporary relaxation on the age policy in September 2017, those who had taken an extension were in the single figures and had fallen, as some people who had taken advantage of the extension had purchased other new vehicles.

Members said that some voluntary projects used disabled transport, and that the vehicle could perhaps be hired by them also. It was noted, however, that people could hire minibuses themselves, but once the vehicle was licensed, a taxi licence would be required from the authority and only registered taxi drivers would be allowed to use the vehicle.

The Chair supported the recommendation as outlined in the report.

RESOLVED:

That the Licensing and Public Safety Committee grant an exemption from the Council’s condition of fitness which require all hackneys to be black or predominantly black, for this single vehicle for the period of time that it is owned by Leicester City Council.