Agenda item

The Committee were advised of the Government’s ‘Inclusive Transport Strategy’ which recommended making Disability Training Awareness (Passenger Assistant Training) a mandatory requirement for all new and existing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers; to make travel easier for people with disabilities. A number of specific recommendations were suggested by the Department of Transport regarding accessibility to taxi and private hire services:

·  Publishing lists of taxis and PHVs designated as being “wheelchair  accessible” for the purposes of Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010;

·  Prosecuting drivers for discriminating against assistance dog owners and wheelchair users, where sufficient evidence exists to do so, and   applying appropriate licensing sanctions;

·  Reviewing the demand for wheelchair accessible taxis and PHVs in  your area, and taking steps to ensure that the composition of fleets  reflects this need; and

·  Requiring all taxi and PHV drivers to complete disability awareness training.

The Licensing Manager informed Members that the Council was already compliant with the first two bullet points. There were currently 107 licensed Hackney Carriages of which 57 were wheelchair accessible vehicles. However, for Private Hire Vehicles the current fleet consisted of 596 vehicles and only 10, i.e. 1.67 % were wheelchair accessible vehicles. It was therefore necessary to seek further guidance from the Department for Transport on how they expected local authorities to increase  the number of Private Hire wheelchair accessible vehicles without putting an increased financial or disproportionate burden on the Private Hire Trade.

In the ensuing discussion, clarification  was sought regarding the training. It was confirmed that there was no expiry date on the training once completed and no refresher course was required. It was anticipated that the cost for the course would be between £60 – £110 and that the cost  would be paid for by the drivers. 

Resolved – 

(a)  To note the report and the letter from the Department for Transport regarding the Government’s ‘Inclusive Transport Strategy’.

(b) Approve that the ’Passenger Assistant Training Scheme’ is a mandatory  requirement for all new applicants for any a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver licence, and must be undertaken before a licence is granted.

(c)  Approve that the ‘Passenger Assistant Training Scheme’ (“PATS”) is a

  mandatory requirement for all existing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers and that the training must be undertaken within one year of 1^st January 2019.

(d)  That all current Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers, including

‘Combined’ licensed drivers that have previously undertaken PATS training will be exempt from the new requirement.

(e) To approve that where any current holder of a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Driver licence has failed to attend the mandatory PATS training (other than those that are exempt) by 31st December 2019, their licence will be suspended until such time as they attend the training and produce a valid Certificate as confirmation of their attendance.