Other Useful Driver / Operator Information

CCTV Code of Practice

The following link will take you to a document thats sets out the Council's Code of Practice for those operators/drivers who would like to install CCTV cameras in their vehicles.

• CCTV Code of Practice (Word Document, 0.1 Mb)

Taxis & Seatbelts

Taxi drivers should be aware that they may be responsible if any seatbelt offences are committed

The following is an extract from the Highway Code which gives details of how young children should be restrained whilst travelling in a car.

• Highway Code information relating to Seat Belts (Word Document, 0.1 Mb)

Guidance Notes for Drivers Appealing Decisions made by the Council

Very occasionally decisions made in the Licensing office or by the Taxi & Private Hire Sub-Committee may result in a drivers badge being suspended, revoked or refused. Obviously without a badge a driver cannot work. Who can you appeal to if you feel aggrieved about a Council decision. The answer is to the Magistrates Court. The following link is to a document that shows you how to lodge an appeal and the processes involved. A pro forma letter is also included.

• Appellants Guidance Notes (Word Document, 0.1 Mb)

Licensing Hours of Business

To help with our service to our operators and drivers the Licensing Office runs an appointment system. If you want advice on any hackney carriage or private hire matter please ring the office to book an appointment. Appointments can be made between 9am and 12 noon and 2pm and 4pm, Monday to Friday. Personal callers to the Council Offices may seek advice from the Call Centre staff for minor matters but cannot be seen by Licensing Staff without an appointment. Alternatively officers can be emailed at licensing@nwleicestershire.gov.uk

Changes in Disclosure Requirements for Private Hire Operators

Applicants for a Private Hire Operator's Licence (PHO) now only have to supply a Basic Disclosure as provided by Disclosure Scotland. However, we will accept an enhanced CRB disclosure held as part of your current NWLDC hackney carriage or private hire driving licence.

Smoking in Licensed Vehicles

Licensing Officers have recently found evidence of drivers smoking in their vehicles. It needs to be made clear that it is an offence to smoke in a licensed hackney carriage or private hire vehicle. This is the case even when the driver is off duty as the vehicle always remains a licensed vehicle and not a privately owned vehicle.

If drivers are found to be smoking in their vehicles they will be issued with a £50 fixed penalty notice.

Stephen Eyre

Licensing Team Leader

Retest Fee for Those Vehicles Failing Their Depot Test

From Monday 2 August 2010 North West Leicestershire District Council have introduced a new system for it licensed vehicle depot inspections.

All vehicles that fail certain parts of the depot test will be required to undergo a retest with a mandatory £50 charge. All vehicle owners will get an additional letter with their renewal pack which explains the new system.

Their are now two elements to the depot test, MOT defined test areas like steering, brakes etc and Council defined areas such as windows, interior cleanliness etc. Except in certain areas a depot test failure will result in the new charge.

Additionally if a vehicle is presented for a depot test and is such a condition to be almost dangerous the depot staff have the option of removing the vehicle's plate and suspending it from being a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle. For the suspension to be implemented the vehicle must fail the VOSA standard that would have resulted in an immediate prohibition if VOSA staff had stooped the vehicle on the road. The relevant document is being prepared and will be on this web site shortly.

NEW: At the Licensing Committee meeting of 1st March 2011 members agreed that a £50 retest fee should be applied to all vehicles requiring a depot retest after 'spot check' enforcement initiatives.

The document dealing with the new Council standards can be found below where you will also find a link to a MOT site.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_4022109

£50 Charge Letter (Word Document, 0.1 Mb)

Inspection Standards for Council Requirements (Word Document, 0.2 Mb)

Depot Test Check Sheet (Word Document, 0.3 Mb)

Vehicle Defects - Plate Removal (Word Document, 0.5 Mb)