Black cabs to be permitted in Stafford after change in taxi licensing policy is approved
Black cabs will be permitted in Stafford Borough after a change in taxi licensing policy was approved to allow two different Hackney carriage colours.
Previously Stafford Borough Council has only permitted taxis, which can be hailed in the street, to be white vehicles as part of its licensing rules.
The authority’s latest Taxi Licensing Policy and Licence Conditions, covering 2025-2030, will allow the vehicles, also known as Hackney carriages, to be black or white however. Councillors were told at their full meeting on Tuesday (September 9) the move was in response to a request from the taxi trade.
Councillor Ian Fordham, cabinet member for environment, said: “The council has a statutory obligation to protect public safety by ensuring licensed vehicles are fit for purpose and licensed drivers are fit and proper persons to discharge this obligation. The policy before us provides clear guidance as to how taxi licensing works and explains how officers will make decisions relating to licensing of vehicles, drivers and operators.”
Cabinet members backed the policy changes at their latest meeting before the revised policy was approved by the full council on Tuesday. A cabinet report said: “White vehicles are becoming harder to come by and waiting lists can be up to 12-15 months, thereby presenting a barrier to the trade.
“Proprietors of wheelchair accessible Hackney carriages (WAVs) will, once the vehicle has been licensed by Stafford Borough Council for a period of eight consecutive years to that proprietor, be permitted to license a saloon vehicle as a Hackney Carriage if they wish to do so. The reason behind the last proposal is that wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) are very expensive to buy so result in prospective Hackney carriage proprietors instead choosing to becoming private hire drivers.
“This proposal aims to give proprietors/drivers some incentive to initially purchase and license WAVs with the option then of looking forward to having a saloon vehicle, if they so wish, after the first 8 years and staying in the trade. From a licensing perspective the merit of this proposal is twofold, it will hopefully attract more Hackney carriage proprietors, which are currently declining quite rapidly, whilst retaining enough WAVs within the trade for those customers who require them.”
Other measures in the policy aim to support the move away from petrol and diesel vehicles. From 2030 all vehicles will have to be hybrid/electric or hydrogen fuelled.
The trade had requested this date be pushed back to 2035. The cabinet report said: “The UK government has confirmed the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars has been brought forward to 2030 – but full hybrid vehicles can still be sold until 2035.
“As the revised policy contains no end date for licensing of hybrid vehicles of whatever type, the 2030 date for ending the licensing of vehicles powered solely by internal combustion engines (ICE) is considered reasonable and proportionate, both minimising disruption to the local trade and assisting the council in meeting its net zero ambitions. Members may wish to note that the emissions criteria imposed on vehicles licensed with the borough council will neither apply to, nor be enforceable against, vehicles trading in the borough (for example via the Uber App) which are licensed by other local authorities.”
