Here is the details of the legislation coming in in October.
Section 10 amends the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (“the 1976 Act”)by standardising at three years the duration of both taxi and private hire driver licences; and at five years the licence for a private hire operator. A shorter duration may be specified depending on the circumstances of the case.
Section 11 inserts new sections 55A and 55B into the 1976 Act the effect of which is to allow private hire operators, based outside London, to sub-contract bookings to other operators based indifferent districts or in London or Scotland; and to make it an offence for such a private hire operator to sub-contract a booking knowing that the operator to whom it is subcontracted would operate a private hire vehicle where either the vehicle or the driver was not licensed under the 1976 Act.
Posted: 31st March 2015