Issue - meetings

The Senior Licensing Officer presented a report on the Hackney Carriage Licence – Unmet Demand Survey.

The Committee noted the results of the Unmet Demand Survey carried out by the Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessment (LVSA), part of the Vector Transport Consultancy, and considered the options open to the Council with regard to maintaining, partially maintaining or removing a limit on the number of hackney carriage licences that are issued.

The Committee noted that:-

·  The current limit was 48 and that there was a discretion for that to continue provided that the Council were satisfied there was no significant demand for hackney services in the Borough which was unmet.

·  Previous and present survey results, as well as feedback from the trade had shown that there was no significant unmet demand.

·  The survey highlighted that out of the 12 recognised ranks (10 official), 75% of all hirings were made from the High Street rank.

In response to questions from Members, the Senior Licensing Officer responded:-

·  That if the limit was removed

a) There would be more vehicles available to flag down in the High
  Street. 

b) There would be limited taxi ranks in the Town Centre which could
  lead to some congestion. 

c) The Council would not be able to stipulate the high calibre of
  vehicle.

d) The trading value for the existing licences would be diminished.

The Committee made the following comments:-

·  The limit should not be taken away, it worked well as it was.

·  That should the limit be increased, this would result in more pollution.

RESOLVED:  That in view of the evidence put forward by the Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessment (LVSA), part of the Vector Transport Consultancy, the current limit on numbers of hackney carriages be maintained.