Agenda item

To consider a report of Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration which sets out the results of the Unmet Demand Survey and seeks the views of the Committee as to whether there needs to be any change in the policy to restrict the number of Hackney Carriage Proprietor licences in Leeds, and, if so, whether the number of currently issued licences needs to change to in response to the results of the survey.

(Report attached)

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration submitted a report which set out the results of the Unmet Demand Survey and sought the views of the Committee as to whether there was a need to change the existing policy to restrict the number of Hackney Carriage Proprietor licences in Leeds, and, if so, whether the number of currently issued licences needs to change in response to the results of the survey.

Appended to the report was a copy of “Leeds City Council, March 2018, Unmet Demand Survey. (Appendix 1 referred).

The Chair introduced and welcomed Ian Millership, CTS Traffic & Transportation Consultants who had undertaken the unmet demand survey on behalf of the City Council.

Addressing the report the Mr Millership spoke in respect of the following:

·  Local background and context

·  Patent demand measurement (rank surveys)

·  General public views

·  Key stakeholder consultation

·  Trade stakeholder views

·  Evaluation of unmet demand and its significance

·  Summary, synthesis and study conclusions

·  Recommendations

Members noted the following key conclusions:

·  There was no evidence of any unmet demand for the services of hackney carriages either patent or latent which was significant at this point in time in the Leeds City Council licensing area.

·  The committee had the option of retaining the current limit, at the current level, and should be able to defend this if necessary.

·  The current station provision including the trade supported feeder

  system should continue and be encouraged

·  The good working relationships between the trade and council should continue

·  That opportunities for further development and continued improvement of the offer provided by hackney carriages in the City be considered.

·  Ensure the trade, police and council (both licensing and highway) provide clarity about the Call Lane area in terms of night rank provision.

·  Further consideration is required to provide better disability access to the rank at the station.

·  Great care was required with application of the Clean Air legislation to ensure the current number of hackney carriage vehicles remained available for servicing all ranks.

·  Some of the further out feeder ranks could be considered for provision of rest facilities, such as those available in London near to the DfT building.

·  DfT BPG recommends where limits are retained that further surveys should be undertaken within three years.

·  A suggestion that one main rank data collection exercise be undertaken after Easter covering at least 500 hours of observation and at least two suburban locations, with seasonal variation concerns perhaps covered by undertaking surveys at the top three ranks (including the station) for 72-hour periods, which could form part of the next unmet demand survey.

·  Consider the monitoring system used in Edinburgh of having regular short period surveys covering key locations where there might be unmet demand. This could also be used alongside rank development programmes to test their impact, such as to ensure proper provisions with regard to the Call Lane night life.

Commenting on Wheelchair Assessable Vehicles (WAV’s) Members queried if there were sufficient numbers operating within the city.

In responding Mr Millership said Leeds had the right proportion of Wheelchair Assessable Vehicles.

It was suggested that a common theme raised by disabled passengers was the long delays in waiting for a WAV

Mr Millership said that WAV’s were often based within the city centre and passengers requesting WAV’s from the outer areas could occasionally experience some delay in service. Mr Millership said it was important that customers had the ability to complain and be made aware that providing accurate details and evidence was essential.

In drawing the discussion to a conclusion the Chair welcomed the report suggesting that Members appeared to be supportive of its conclusions/ recommendations.

On the issue of Hackney Carriage Proprietor licences, Members were content with the existing limit of 537.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the contents of the Unmet Demand Survey (March 2018) be noted and welcomed

(ii)  To continue with the Council’s current policy to limit the number of Hackney Carriage Proprietor licences at 537