TO SIGN OR NOT TO SIGN LONDON’S MINI CABS
25 November 2005 - London Taxi

Transport for London''s Public Carriage Office has issued a formal public consultation to decide whether private hire vehicles in the capital should be permitted to have external Taxi signage.

The PCO say the private hire industry and the taxi trade will be consulted during the next two months.

Currently no external signage is allowed on private hire vehicles, only the vehicle licence disc displayed on the front and back windows of the vehicle, which identifies that the vehicle is licensed.

Roy Ellis, Head of the PCO, said: ''External signage is an important issue that needs to be discussed. A previous consultation proved inconclusive and we urge all those involved in the consultation process to contribute.”

''Whilst many in the private hire trade feel that additional signage would help to make vehicles more easily identifiable for passengers who have to book in advance, other people claim that this could make the vehicles more susceptible to being hailed on the street.”

Only the distinctive licensed London Taxis taxis can be hailed on the street, private hire vehicles have to be pre booked.

Ellis added, ''Ultimately we want the public to be safe when using taxi and private hire vehicles, so we need be very thorough during this consultation process that ends on 31 January 2006.''

The PCO also announced that the consultation will also look at the issue of extending the private hire vehicle licensing inspections to include a mechanical inspection of the vehicle.

The London Taxi Board, (LTB) which represents taxi circuit operators, drivers and the London Taxi manufacturers, believes there should be no external identifier taxi plates on licensed public hire vehicles. They say the internal identifier, if properly positioned in easy sight of the passengers, is adequate.

Chris Kelsey, a member of the London Taxi Board said, “We believe that by putting external taxi signs on private hire cars the public will be confused and start trying to hail these vehicles on London’s streets, which is illegal. As all licensed public hire vehicles cannot ply for hire on the streets, but have to be booked and operate from an office, there is no need to potentially confuse passengers on what is a taxi you can hail and what is not.”

“This would be particularly confusing for the millions of visitors we get to London. How are they to know what the difference is between a licensed black taxi and a licensed private hire vehicle? It would also increase the potential for illegal non licensed mini cabs to cruise the streets.”

“In Birmingham roof top signs for private hire vehicles have been removed because the licensing authority found the external signs encouraged drivers to ply for hire” said Kelsey.

He added, “As the Mayor of London has promoted the ‘Know what you are getting into’ taxi campaign and has cracked down on illegal taxi touts, external taxi identification plates for private hire vehicles would encourage illegal activity and make enforcement more difficult.”

From: Miles Better News Agency

www.lti.co.uk

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