The Council are currently consulting on the following items within the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

Currently all vehicles should carry a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.  We are considering removing this requirement for the following reasons:

• If a vehicle is on fire the advice given by the fire authority is to leave the vehicle and move away from it. The fire extinguisher in the vehicle would not be sufficient to put out and engine fire etc.
• Only a trained first aider is permitted to administer first aid so a condition which requires the driver to carry a first aid kit would appear to be unreasonable.

Currently all vehicles over the age of 10 years have to be tested 3 times a year and are only issued with a licence for 4 months excluding Hybrids.  However if a vehicle over the age of 10 years passes its test the first time on 3 consecutive occasions it will be issued with a 6 month licence on the third occasion.  This was introduced as an incentive to encourage owners to maintain older vehicles to a high standard.

The licensing manager has now been asked to commence a consultation relating to the above requirements.  The proposal to be consulted upon would amend the conditions to allow all vehicles between the age of 2 years and 15 years to be granted with a 6 months licence regardless of whether they are Hybrid or not.  Once a vehicle reaches the age of 15 years it will revert to 3 tests a year and be issued with a 4 months licence.

Please can you submit any comments that you may have on any of the above matters before 4pm on 8th August.  All comments will be considered before a final decision is made.

Comments should be sent to licensing@hyndburnbc.gov.uk