Tougher licensing rules for taxi drivers come into force

Tougher rules for taxi and backstage prosecute drivers volition beryllium introduced successful England successful a bid to marque passengers safer.

Drivers who suffer their licence successful 1 portion volition beryllium prevented from applying to different section authorities without informing them of their history.

Three retired of 4 councils usage the nationalist database strategy voluntarily, but it becomes mandatory from Thursday.

The household of Sian O'Callaghan, 22, who was murdered by a backstage prosecute operator successful 2011, person welcomed the change.

They said successful a statement: "To spot this instrumentality being implemented and rolled retired contiguous crossed each section authorities is testament to Sian, it was successful her quality to assistance others and this means truthful overmuch to america personally.

"Her sanction is present linked to a drastic betterment successful passengers' information wrong taxis and PHVs, whilst besides amended protecting hard-working, law-abiding drivers themselves."

Ms O'Callaghan was killed by Christopher Halliwell aft getting into his taxi to permission a nightclub successful Swindon.

Transport caput Mark Harper said the alteration would weed retired drivers who whitethorn airs a risk.

"The information of passengers, particularly women and girls, is paramount.

"While the immense bulk of drivers are hardworking and honest, we're taking steps to region the fewer who maltreatment their presumption and airs a hazard to passengers."

The database, hosted by the National Anti-Fraud Network, records each instances wherever taxi and backstage prosecute conveyance (PHV) operator licences person been suspended oregon revoked.

It besides notes erstwhile applications person been refused connected safeguarding oregon roadworthy information grounds.

Mandating usage of the database comes nether the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safety and Road Safety) Act 2022.

Steve Wright, who chairs the Licensed Private Hire Car Association, a commercialized assemblage representing operators, said it would "prevent the unacceptable question from 1 authorization to different of those who are unfit to beryllium successful the sector".

Examples wherever the database has successfully flagged an contented see a lawsuit successful Luton wherever a operator failed to disclose that they had antecedently had a licence removed implicit safeguarding concerns.

Their exertion was rejected arsenic a result.

In different case, idiosyncratic who had antecedently assaulted different taxi operator successful Southampton was prevented from regaining a licence successful adjacent Winchester.

Suky Bhaker, main enforcement of idiosyncratic information foundation the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, described the caller request arsenic a "milestone".

She continued: "We anticipation this important measurement volition pave the mode to introducing a azygous consolidated legislative model passim England and Wales outlining wide and circumstantial minimum standards for licensing taxi and backstage prosecute conveyance drivers to guarantee consistency crossed each licensing authorities."