PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLE REGULATIONS (O'LICENCES)

EDM number 429 in 1998-99, proposed by Clive Efford on 15/03/1999.

That this House notes the proliferation of vehicles with eight seats and fewer being licensed under Public Service Vehicle Operators' Regulations (O' Licences) in many parts of the country, including rail and air termini, thereby avoiding compliance with regulations designed to protect the public; further notes that the work performed by these operators is mostly indistinguishable from both Hackney carriage and private hire operations; further notes that this is contrary to the Government's view, as expressed in the Transport White Paper, that taxis form an important part of an integrated, accessible public transport system and the successful implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 with regard to accessible transport; is concerned that the laws governing the taxi and private hire trade are being circumvented and that local authority licensing departments have no control over the schemes; is further concerned that there is no requirement for topographical knowledge examinations, police or medical checks for the drivers, and that the vehicles need not meet the 2002 data for wheelchair accessibility compliance; believes that the Transport Act 1985 and Public Service Vehicles (Registration of Local Services) Regulations 1986 are currently being interpreted in a way that cuts across the scheme for licensing taxis which is expressly authorised by Parliament; and calls on the Government to remove ambiguities and ensure that legislation is not undermined by operators using PSV regulations to side-step regulations aimed to protect the public.

This motion has been signed by a total of 79 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.