Bristol City Council is seeking the opinions of taxi drivers, trade representatives and local residents on proposed changes to taxi services in the city.
According to the council, the changes would bring Bristol in line with new national standards, thereby improving the quality of taxi services for both drivers and passengers.
Under proposed changes all licensed drivers will be required to subscribe to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) update service.
The DBS includes revisions to the fit and proper person policy, including changes to the convictions policy as well as the introduction of a new private hire operators policy that formalises operators’ responsibilities.
Furthermore, mandatory safeguarding driver training will be enhanced. There will be a change to the existing policy for private hire vehicles to allow tinted rear windows, but only where they are supplied as standard on a vehicle and meet safety regulations.
Additionally, all hackney carriage vehicles will be required to have a card payment system installed under the new rules. The council said this change has been requested by taxi drivers.
Councillor Steve Pearce, cabinet member responsible for licensing, Bristol City Council, said: “These changes are being proposed to improve the safety and security of passengers, taxi drivers and taxi companies, and we want to ensure companies have clear policies and training in place.
“Taxis play a pivotal role in our transport network and we need to make sure our policies remain relevant and up to date, so we can continue to support our drivers to provide a quality service to the city.
“We have worked closely with representatives of the trade while developing these proposals, and we now want to hear what drivers and passengers have to say about these potential changes.”
A draft of the policy change is currently available on Bristol City Council’s website.
The public consultation will be open until 21 March 2021.
