Overview

The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Bill aims to improve passenger safety and road safety by enhancing the licensing process for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers. It does this by creating a national database to record licensing decisions and improve information sharing between licensing authorities.

Description

This Bill establishes a national licensing information database containing details of licensing decisions regarding taxi and private hire vehicle drivers. This database will include information on drivers who have been refused a licence, had their licence suspended or revoked, or whose applications were denied, based on relevant information.

Relevant Information

"Relevant information" includes details of sexual offences, harassment, causing physical or psychological harm, offences involving risk of harm, discrimination, abuse, threats, road safety risks, and other suitability concerns for drivers.

Database Operation

Licensing authorities must record relevant information and licensing decisions in the database, keeping records for 11 years. Other authorities must search the database before making licensing decisions and request relevant information from other authorities. The Secretary of State will either operate the database directly or designate an organization to do so. Fees may be charged for accessing the database.

Information Sharing

The Bill mandates that licensing authorities share information about drivers' concerning conduct with other relevant licensing authorities to ensure consistent licensing practices and enhanced safety measures.

Government Spending

The Bill's financial implications are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, the creation and maintenance of the national database, along with the associated administrative costs, will likely involve some level of government expenditure. The potential cost to the government is unknown but it will be incurred in establishing and maintaining the database. Potential revenue may also be generated through database access fees.

Groups Affected

• Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Drivers: Drivers will be subject to more thorough background checks and information sharing across different licensing authorities. This could lead to stricter licensing requirements and potentially impact employment prospects for those with past convictions or concerning behavior.
• Licensing Authorities: These authorities will have additional responsibilities in recording, searching, and sharing information through the new database. Increased workload and administrative burden is likely.
• Passengers: Passengers will benefit from improved safety measures through enhanced background checks and information sharing. The improved vetting process should reduce the risk of dangerous or unsuitable drivers.
• The Public: The improved safety features for passengers should provide increased security and confidence when using taxi and private hire vehicles.

Powered by nyModel