Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Licensing Policy

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Licensing survey, your feedback is now being analysed to decide the right course of action. Watch out for further updates coming soon. 

West Lancashire Borough Council's Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licencing Policy has been reviewed regularly since it came into force in 2010; most recently in June 2019.

The implementation of the Department for Transport Statutory Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Standards requires the Policy to be updated to ensure the Council's continued compliance with the requirements.

There are several changes that me must make, that have been incorporated into the policy. We are seeking feedback from our customers to ensure the additions to the policy are clear and easy to understand.

Provision of CCTV in Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles 

The Government guidance also highlights the provision of CCTV in licensed vehicles. Clearly, there are many factors that need to be considered to ensure the design, specification and operation of any CCTV system is proportionate, justified and pragmatic. Therefore any decision to mandate CCTV in licensed vehicles cannot be made lightly or quickly.

Firstly, the Council wants to understand if there are local circumstances which indicate that the mandatory installation of CCTV in licensed vehicles would have either a positive or an adverse net effect on the safety of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle users, including children or vulnerable adults, and taking into account potential privacy issues.

We are therefore seeking initial views from the trade, the public and all stakeholders and partner agencies. All feedback will be used to decide if this is a course of action that the Council would want to take. If so, more information will be obtained and further consultations carried out to provide greater detail before any final decision to mandate CCTV is made.