The Licensing Committee of Harlow Council convened on Tuesday, 18 June 2024, to discuss several key issues, including the use of roof signs on private hire vehicles. The committee decided to recommend to the council that private hire vehicles be required to display roof signs, with the specifications for these signs delegated to the Environment and Licensing Manager in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Licensing Committee.

Use of Roof Signs on Private Hire Vehicles

The committee revisited the topic of roof signs on private hire vehicles, following up on Minute 43 from the meeting held on 15 March 2018. The discussion was informed by a report on the results of a consultation, which included feedback from licensees and the public. The committee concluded that roof signs would enhance customer safety and would not cause confusion with Hackney Carriages, which in Harlow are required to be purpose-built London cabs and are easily identifiable.

The committee recommended to the council that:

• Private hire vehicle licensing conditions be amended to require private hire vehicles to display roof signs.
• The specification for roof signs displayed by licensed private hire vehicles be delegated to the Environment and Licensing Manager in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Licensing Committee.

The full report on the consultation can be found in Appendix B - Survey results for licensees and Appendix E - Survey results for members of the public.

Committee Work Plan

The committee reviewed its work plan for the current municipal year and noted its contents. The work plan outlines the key areas of focus and upcoming agenda items for the committee. The updated work plan can be accessed here.