Meeting documents

To consider the attached report.

Contact Officer:  Peter Seal (01296) 585083

The Committee received a report regarding the introduction of a functional English language test and knowledge test for new and existing hackney carriage and private hire drivers. In March 2017, the Licensing Committee had agreed this and Officers had since explored this possibility further. The English language and topographical test had also been a recommendation from a recent All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taxis.

The test would be carried out online and hosted by a trusted third party organisation at their premises. Once the examination was passed and completed, a certificate would be provided which would then need to be submitted by the applicant along with their Application for a License for to AVDC. This was in keeping with current taxi drivers providing their proof of driving standards training.

Discussions had been held with a proposed company to supply the electronic knowledge test, with the geography to cover Aylesbury Vale and include routes and points of interest, as well as basic Maths and English. Additionally, the test would encapsulate basic behavioural standards that License holders should be adhering to as part of their condition of license, such as circumstances of sounding vehicle horns. Officers were considering further functions of e-learning to provide information on topics such as safeguarding.

The number of questions in the test would be set by AVDC Officers and the questions would originate from a pool of questions from each category based on the authority’s standards. No two drivers will receive the same set of questions and the test would be multiple choice with one correct answer and three incorrect answers. The pass rate and the time limit would also bet set by Officers. The test would currently cost drivers £30 to take but this was still under negotiation with the supplier.

The Lead Officer, Peter Seal, welcomed Member participation in the development and testing of the language and knowledge examination. Members would also have the possibility of a demonstration prior to implementation. It was the intention to provide a progress report on the examination back to the License Committee in future.

Members sought more information and were advised:-

      i.        The estimated lead time for examinations to be ready was two-three months.

     ii.        Basic Maths was included for providing change and receipts to customers.

    iii.        An understanding of verbal English was necessary when attending the supplier site to sit the examination. Officers would look further at the possibility of verbal English for those that may struggle with written discourse. It was noted though that the written questions would be in a similar tone of the Highway Code’s driving theory test.

   iv.        Photographic identification was required when attending the examination as well as supplying paperwork that would have been posted to the applicant ahead of the test.

    v.        Hackney Carriage tests would be different as they would incorporate customer accessibility questions.

   vi.        The examination would potentially have a limit of three attempts to pass. Failure to pass after three attempts would result in a formal refusal to which an applicant could appeal to the Magistrates’ Court.

  vii.        The test would only be valid within Aylesbury Vale due to de-regulation locally.

 viii.        There was currently a limit of 50 Black Cabs serving the town of Aylesbury and 10 White Cabs in the rural district, and there were around 2,500 licensed  drivers.

   ix.        The number of drivers operating within Aylesbury Vale was expected to fall with the introduction of the test as there were licensed drivers operating with licenses obtained from neighbouring authorities. It was preferred that license holders operate within the areas they obtained their license.

Members welcomed the opportunity to be updated on the progress of the test and for it to come back to Committee in future. 

RESOLVED –

That the a functional English language test and knowledge test for all new and existing hackney carriage and private hire drivers be introduced, and that the Principal Licensing Officer be authorised to agree and confirm the content of the test and bring back to Licensing Committee.