For the past 7 years the minicab industry in Greater London has worked under a licensing authority ostensibly run by Transport for London which is ultimately the charge of the Mayor of London Mr Boris Johnson. There was definitely a need for an authority to take charge of what was an entirely unregulated industry. Over the years minicabs have suffered a very bad reputation, not always deserved, for poorly maintained cars, not entirely user friendly drivers and of course overcharging. The Black Taxi boys and girls who do the Knowledge and then pay upwards of £36,000 for their vehicle really had a problem with us. So licensing was a good thing.
Interline was particularly pleased to see it introduced. Interline held a block insurance policy so we knew all our drivers were insured and because we looked after a number of private schools in Harrow and drove children regulalrly we carried out a Criminal Record Check on all new drivers. We own our own building at the foot of Harow on the Hill with all the neccesary insurances in place so for Interline as a company it was a case of filling out the paperwork proving our documentation was in order and paying the licensing fee. As a result we were granted one of the first Operators Licence's. Around about that time it made more sense for the driver to insure himself as an individual so all that had to be arranged. He had to apply for his own Public Carriage Office licence but because this was all done in one go with maybe 40,000 drivers applying at the same time, some drivers paid their licence fee but didn't actually see a full licence for 2 years, all the time operating on a temporary licence.
The minicab also had to be licensed. This requires a fresh MOT and a visit to a licensing station to check for dents and scrapes. But now the EU has become involved and they are insisting that all licensed private hire vehicles fall under certain emission rules. It's all a bit complicated but essentially a minicab will not be licensed if it is more than 5 years old. Cars less than 5 years old meet the required emission levels.
All of this means that over the next 12 months the public should see an improvement in the quality of their minicabs.
So next time you get a minicab from Harrow to Pinner or an MPV to Heathrow or Gatwick rember your driver has not just satrted his engine and come to work. He has gone to a lot of effort and expense to ensure his vehicle is roadworthy, insured and better for the enviroment.
