PAPER B

Committee :    HACKNEY CARRIAGE WORKING PARTY

Date :              22 FEBRUARY 2002

Title :              DEZONING AND DEREGULATION OF TAXIS

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF SELECT COMMITTEE SUPPORT

PURPOSE

To provide the Working Party with a summary of the Council’s position concerning dezoning taxis.

BACKGROUND

The Fire and Public Safety Select Committee embarked on an investigation into dezoning and/or deregulating taxis earlier this year. That investigation sought to establish whether or not service improvements could be achieved for users in terms of cost, quality and safety.

The Select Committee made a number of recommendations to the Executive, but in particular resolved that the option to dezone be referred to a Hackney Carriage Working Party. In the event that the Working Party was subsequently unable to make a recommendation to the Select Committee, the Select Committee resolved that it would progress matters in its own right.

By way of background the Chairman of the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee, the Chairman of the Licensing Committee and the Senior Licensing Officer attended an open seminar at the National Taxi Association Conference in London on 10 October 2001. Sally Keeble MP, Minister for Local Transport spoke at the conference.

OPTIONS

The Working Party is invited to determine whether and/or how the issue of dezoning should be progressed.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Report to the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee, 17 September 2001.

Report to the Executive 24 May 2001.

Contact Point :           Rob Owen, ☎ 823801

ROB OWEN

Select Committee Support