The Licensing Committee of Redditch Borough Council met to discuss the viability of using alternative testing stations for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles, and to review the implications of the Deregulation Act 2015 on taxi and private hire licensing. The committee decided to begin a six-week consultation period with relevant stakeholders to consider outsourcing compliance and safety inspections for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. They also noted the contents of a report on the implications of the Deregulation Act 2015.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Testing

The committee decided to begin a six-week consultation period with relevant stakeholders to consider outsourcing compliance and safety inspections for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. This decision was made after considering a report on the viability of approving alternative testing stations for these vehicles.

Currently, the council conducts inspections of licensed vehicles at the Crossgates Depot, a DVSA approved MOT testing station. According to the report, 40 appointment slots are made available each week, and staff have indicated that appointments are generally available within ten working days. The current fees for inspections are:

• Safety Check: £54.85
• Safety Check with MOT: £54.85
• Re-test (within 10 working days): FREE
• Re-test (after 10 working days): £27.42
• Hackney Carriage Meter Test: £12.00

The report outlined two options for the committee:

1. To note the contents of the report and make no changes to the current policy, meaning inspections would continue to be undertaken by Crossgates Depot.
2. To consider and approve a six-week consultation period with relevant stakeholders to consider outsourcing compliance and safety inspections.

The report noted that other councils in Worcestershire have different arrangements in place for compliance and safety inspections, with some using council-owned testing stations, others using approved testing stations, and some requiring applicants/license holders to provide a recent MOT.

The report also raised concerns about the potential implications of outsourcing inspections, including the loss of excellent working relationships between Licensing Officers and the vehicle examiners at the Crossgates Depot, and the need to regularly monitor and audit the quality and standard of work undertaken by any approved testing stations.

The report stated:

Excellent working relationships currently exist between Licensing Officers and the vehicle examiners at the Crossgates Depot. This helps enormously in the exchange of information and intelligence about licensed vehicles and how well they are being maintained.

Deregulation Act 2015

The committee noted the contents of a report on the implications of the Deregulation Act 2015, specifically regarding taxi and private hire licensing. The report provided background on the Act and its effects on the industry.

The Deregulation Act 2015 amended the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, allowing private hire operators licensed by one local authority to sub-contract bookings to another operator licensed by a different local authority. According to the report, the government's intention was to encourage free trade across district council borders, which has led to the current situation where vehicles and drivers licensed by other local authorities are commonly seen in Redditch.

The report also addressed concerns about vehicles and drivers licensed by other local authorities plying for hire¹ in Redditch. It clarified that as long as a private hire vehicle and driver are properly licensed, they can wait in any location for a booking to be dispatched to them, provided they are not actively plying for hire.

The report also discussed the emergence of app-based booking systems like Uber, stating that Uber appears to be operating lawfully within the private hire licensing regimes in the UK. It noted that Uber has licenses to operate in many local authority areas and can dispatch vehicles and drivers to carry out work anywhere in the country, as long as the vehicle and driver are also licensed with the local authority that issued the private hire operator license.

The report mentioned that taxi representatives had requested the council to contact Uber and ask them to limit their operation in the Redditch area. However, officers have contacted representatives of Uber, who stated that they have no intention of limiting their operations in any UK districts. The report stated that there is no legal framework to restrict or limit private hire operations in the UK.

Work Programme

The committee noted the Licensing Committee Work Programme 2025/2026. The next meeting was scheduled for 8 December 2025, where the delegation of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles outside of policy due to Age, and responses received to the 6 week consultation would be discussed.