Review of Cumberland’s Taxi Licensing: New Policy and Consultation

A twelve-week consultation has been launched to review the current taxi licensing system in Cumberland, focusing on whether to consolidate the existing three districts into one unified district. The consultation, which is expected to start soon, will involve taxi drivers and operators, with a final decision set to be made by the Cumberland Council.

Currently, the taxi licensing districts are based on the previous local government areas of Allerdale, Copeland, and Carlisle City. The proposed overhaul aims to create a more streamlined system, which could simplify regulations for drivers operating within the newly formed Cumberland Council area.

Policy Changes and New Regulations

The consultation also seeks feedback on the Cumberland Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy for 2025, which includes several changes to licensing rules. A key update is the reduced dress code regulations, which are now more flexible than initially proposed. Additionally, the policy introduces a new penalty points system for drivers and operators who fail to comply with vehicle license conditions, such as not having a valid MOT certificate.

The new system sets a cap of 12 points that drivers and operators can accumulate during their license period—three years for drivers and five years for operators. Once the points threshold is reached, it could result in a suspension or revocation of their license.

Councillor Trevor Allison stated:

"It seems okay because at the end of the day, a senior officer would have the final say on the penalty points."

Furthermore, the introduction of a fixed penalty scheme will allow for more consistent enforcement of these new rules, reducing ambiguity around violations. The fixed penalty system aims to address issues such as unqualified vehicles or non-compliance with the MOT requirements.

Points System and Enforcement Concerns

A significant aspect of the new policy is the points system, which some council members have scrutinized. A licensing officer raised concerns about the decision-making process, questioning whether it should be a senior officer or a senior manager who makes the final call on penalty points.

The licensing officer explained that penalty points in the past were often handed out too readily, which could have negative consequences for drivers further down the line. However, Councillor Sam Pollen stated:

"Looking at that it seems robust enough because there's an appeal process."

A decision was made to allow senior officers, rather than senior managers, to make the penalty point decisions, provided that the points last longer than one year as a deterrent.

Next Steps and Implementation

The new policy is scheduled to come into effect on April 1, and a working group will be set up to review the feedback from the consultation process. The group will assess the responses from drivers and operators to ensure the policy is fair and well-informed. The potential shift to a single taxi licensing district for Cumberland is expected to improve efficiency and reduce confusion, benefiting both the public and those working within the industry.

The consultation process also ties into broader efforts to streamline taxi licensing across the UK, as seen in initiatives like Standardized Private Hire Licensing to Address Cross-Border Taxi Hiring.