Controversial changes to how Leeds taxi drivers are policed have been passed by the city council.
Cabbies in the city who are guilty of minor motoring offences could now be stripped of their licence once they reach nine penalty points, down from the current threshold of 12. The decision’s been made despite widespread and furious opposition from drivers, who’ve warned it will lead to an exodus from the trade and a shortage of taxis for passengers as a result.
The council says the new policy will improve public safety and has been prompted by new government guidance to all local authorities.
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Speaking at a meeting of council’s executive board on Wednesday, where the policy was passed, the authority’s leader Councillor Debra Coupar said: “The private hire and taxi trade is vital and drivers provide an outstanding service to the people of Leeds and visitors every year.
“80 per cent of drivers licenced by the council have no points. The proposed changes would affect just one per cent of current licence holders. That’s around 70 drivers out of around 5,000.”
Councillor Coupar said the authority was “working hard to support the trade, but added that, “the standards are set high to give the public the assurance they require when they use taxi services.”
Under the new rules, drivers who clock up seven or eight points on their licence will have to attend training sessions. Should a driver reach the nine-point threshold through minor offences, they could lose their licence if they’ve previously had to attend training as a disciplinary measure.
However, the council insists each case will be judged on its merits and the final decision will be made by a panel of councillors.
Coun Coupar added: “There is no automatic removal of a licence under the options proposed. The council will only revoke a licence for minor motoring offences where there is a clear concern for public safety.”
Local cabbies have demonstrated several times against the proposals, which have been on the table in some form or other for the last two years. They claim the measures are too strict and that cabbies are far more likely to fall foul of the rules than the average driver, because of the distances they cover.
Ahmad Hussain, chair of the Leeds Private Hire Organisation, accused the council of “institutional racism” in bringing the policy forward. The council strongly denies that claim.
Mr Hussain pointed out that council staff who transport children to school would not be subject to the same rules. That’s because they’re regulated differently, but cabbies say the discrepancy is unfair.
“The whole thing is supposed to be for public safety, but it doesn’t affect anybody besides the drivers,” Mr Hussain said.
“Council employees who pick up vulnerable kids and take them to school – this doesn’t apply to them. If a taxi or private hire driver picks those very same people up and takes them to school or hospital – it’s all about public safety. It’s double standards.
“We’re seeing institutional racism within the council here. We were promised a fair consultation, which has not been delivered.”
In response, the council said that suggestions of racism in the development of the policy were “categorically incorrect”.
It added: “As a local authority Leeds City Council is legally required to have a licensing regime specifically for taxis and private hire vehicles, which must be based on statutory guidance issued from the Department for Transport.
“A full equality, diversity, cohesion and integration screening concludes that the policy meets the council’s public sector equality duty.”
The council also said allegations that the policy and the taxi and private hire department were racist had previously been investigated fully and not upheld.
A consultation over the changes was held earlier this year and found cabbies overwhelmingly against the move, although members of the public who responded were in favour of tougher sanctions.
The council had originally proposed the threshold for potential bans be seven points, but upped that to nine following the consultation.
The group leader of Leeds’ Conservative opposition, Councillor Andrew was critical of the council’s decision and said he would have it “called in” for further scrutiny.
That means a cross-party panel would publicly discuss the matter and potentially recommend changes or that the move be abolished, although the final decision would remain with the council. In that context, the move is unlikely to be reversed.
Councillor Carter told the executive board: “It seems to me over the last 15 years the condition and suitability of private hire vehicles in Leeds has come on light years. Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?”
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