Issue - meetings

Report of the Service Director – Communities, Culture and Homes seeking approval to update the private hire knowledge test.

The Committee considered the report of the Service Director – Communities, Culture and Homes which sought approval to update the Private Hire Knowledge Test.

Southampton City Council Officers Phil Bates, Licensing Manager and Russel Hawkins, Senior Licensing Officer; also representatives from the taxi trade were in attendance and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

The Committee noted that:

• Since the removal of the questions on junctions and locations from the Private Hire Knowledge Test in January 2018 the number of out of town Private Hire drivers operating in the City had reduced and the number of Private Hire drivers licensed by the Council had increased.
• Since the change to the Private Hire Knowledge Test the Private Hire operators had adopted greater responsibility for the quality of service delivery and had been undertaking assessments of their driver’s knowledge with tests that were bespoke to the client base of the operator.
• Private Hire drivers were still required to pass Disclosure and Barring Service Check, a Medical Test, a Driving Standards Test and new drivers were required to complete 2 hours of training
• The Licensing Authority was not able to monitor the hours that drivers are working
• The update to the Private Hire Knowledge Test would include 10 local questions on major landmarks and hubs such as the train station and hospitals.

RESOLVED that the update to the Private Hire knowledge test be approved.