Part 1 Proposals
The table below shows:
- The reference number for each of our proposals – please make sure you include the reference number when commenting on a proposal
- Each of the 10 DfT’s Statutory Taxi and PHV Standards covered in our consultation
- Our proposals for implementing the Standards
You can find further information on our proposals in the Part 1 Factsheet. The factsheet includes the supporting information which explains each proposal in more detail.
| Reference | DfT Standard states | Our proposals |
| DfT 1: Licensee self-reporting |
Licence holders should be required to notify the issuing authority within 48 hours of an arrest and release, charge or conviction of any sexual offence, any offence involving dishonesty or violence and any motoring offence. An arrest for any of the offences within this scope should result in a review by the issuing authority as to whether the licence holder is fit to continue to do so. |
We propose to:
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| DfT 2: Complaints against licensees |
Ways to make complaints to the authority should be displayed in all licensed vehicles. Licensing authorities must ensure that drivers are aware of a requirement to display information on how to complain and take appropriate sanctions against those that do not comply with this requirement. |
We propose to:
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| DfT 3: Overseas convictions | Licensing authorities should seek or require applicants to provide where possible criminal records information or a ‘Certificate of Good Character’ from overseas in this circumstance to properly assess risk and support the decision-making process. It is the character of the applicant as an adult that is of particular interest, therefore an extended period outside the UK before the age of 18 may be less relevant. |
We propose to change our current Certificate of Good Conduct (CoGC) requirements and require from applicants for a taxi driver, PHV operator and PHV driver licence a CoGC to cover any periods outside the UK since the applicant was 18. When renewing, taxi drivers and PHV drivers will have to declare any further extended periods when they have lived overseas for three or more continuous months since they were 18, and then obtain a CoGC accordingly. An ‘extended period’ will be three or more continuous months. |
| DfT 4: Driver DBS checks |
All individuals applying for or renewing a taxi or PHV driver’s licence should be subject to an enhanced DBS check and a check of the children and adult Barred lists. All licensed drivers should also be required to evidence continuous registration with the DBS update service to enable the licensing authority to routinely check for new information every six months. Drivers that do not subscribe to the Update Service should still be subject to a check every six months. |
We propose to amend our existing DBS requirements and:
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| DfT 5: Safeguarding training and English language skills |
All licensing authorities should require taxi and PHV drivers to undertake safeguarding training. A lack of language proficiency could impact on a driver’s ability to understand written documents, such as policies and guidance, relating to the protection of children and vulnerable adults and applying this to identify and act on signs of exploitation. Oral proficiency will be of relevance in the identification of potential exploitation through communicating with passengers and their interaction with others. A licensing authority’s test of a driver’s proficiency should cover both oral and written English language skills to achieve the objectives above. |
We have considered the safeguarding training and English language standards together and will be delivering them as part of a comprehensive package of taxi driver and PHV driver assessments. We’ve already introduced online safeguarding awareness training for all taxi and PHV drivers. PHV drivers For PHV drivers we have already introduced a safety, equality and regulatory understanding assessment and an English language requirement. Taxi drivers We propose to introduce a mandatory safety, equality and regulatory understanding assessment for all new and renewing taxi drivers. We will continue to monitor the speaking and listening skills taxi drivers demonstrate when completing the Knowledge to ensure that London taxi drivers’ English skills meet the objectives in the Standards. If there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the Knowledge of London does not demonstrate taxi drivers’ English speaking and listening skills, we propose to introduce a separate speaking and listening test similar to that undertaken by applicants for PHV driver licences. We are interested in your views on whether taxi drivers’ speaking and listening skills meet the objectives in the DfT’s Standards or whether further assessment is necessary. The safety, equality and regulatory understanding assessment will be used to determine new and renewing taxi drivers’ reading and writing skills. |
| DfT 6: Vehicle owner DBS checks |
Licensing authorities should require a basic disclosure from the DBS [for taxi vehicle and PHV licence applicants] and that a check is undertaken annually. Licensing authorities should consider whether an applicant or licence holder with a conviction for offences provided in the annex to this document (Annex – Assessment of previous convictions), other than those relating to driving, meet the ‘fit and proper’ threshold. An authority which undertakes the biannual DBS checks recommended for its drivers should not require those seeking to license a vehicle to provide a basic DBS check. Overseas checks to be considered where applicable. |
At this time we do not propose to introduce any additional requirements for either taxi or PHV owners. The proposal to undertake DBS checks and overseas checks on vehicle owners were not included in the DfT’s 2019 consultation on the draft Statutory Standards. Stakeholders have not therefore had the opportunity to comment on this in the final version of the Standards Given the unique nature of the London taxi and PHV market, we would like to understand your views as to the effectiveness of requiring London taxi and PHV owners, both renewals and new applicants, to provide:
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| DfT 7: PHV operator DBS checks |
Licensing authorities should require a basic disclosure from the DBS [for PHV operator licence applicants] and that a check is undertaken annually. Licensing authorities should consider whether an applicant or licence holder with a conviction for offences provided in the annex to this document (Annex – Assessment of previous convictions), other than those relating to driving, meet the ‘fit and proper’ threshold. |
We propose:
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| DfT 8: PHV Operator booking and dispatch staff |
Licensing authorities should, as a condition of granting an operator licence, require a register of all staff that will take bookings or dispatch vehicles. Operators should be required to evidence that they have had sight of a Basic DBS check on all individuals listed on their register of booking and dispatch staff When individuals start taking bookings and dispatching vehicles for an operator they should be required, as part of their employment contract, to advise the operator of any convictions while they are employed in this role. Licensing authorities should also require operators or applicants for a licence to provide their policy on employing ex-offenders in roles that would be on the register as above. |
We propose:
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| DfT 9: PHV operator booking records |
Licensing authorities should as a minimum require PHV operators to record the following information for each booking:
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PHV operators are already required to record most of this information when accepting a booking. We propose to amend the existing PHV operator booking record requirement to:
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| DfT 10: Changing licensing policies and requirements |
Any changes in licensing requirements should be followed by a review of the licences already issued. |
We are proposing:
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Consultation has concluded
