South Cambridgeshire District Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy
All applicants must read the Policy and Conditions before starting the application process.
Consultation on Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy
In November 2023 DfT Best Practice Guidance (“the guidance”) for Taxis and Private Hire was published, Licensing Authorities must give due regard to the Statutory Standards when setting their taxi and private hire vehicle licensing policies and procedures. In other words, if we do not apply the standards, we need strong, defensible reasons for not doing so.
Members have held a workshop and considered aspects of the policy that require revision either because of the guidance or local/specific reasons. Views are now sought on the proposed reviews.
Following this review, the Licensing Committee will consider a draft revised policy, and this will be released for consultation.
Members were asked to consider removal of the Handbook which officers consider has become obsolete over the years, and rather than support or co-exist with the Policy, has become more of a contradiction or duplication of the Policy. It has therefore been agreed that the handbook should be withdrawn, with more information provided in real-time on the licensing application platforms/website, and a focus on providing one legal document.
View the schedule of proposed revisions [PDF, 0.2MB].
Any comments on the revisions should be sent via email to licensing@scambs.gov.uk no later than 16 May 2024.
Vehicle age limits and emissions in general (except for wheelchair accessible vehicles), will not form part of the policy review this year.
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy 21 October 2022 [PDF, 1MB]