Hackney & Private Hire Driver Licence Knowledge Tests
Start date: 15 June 2015 Closing Date: 31 July 2015
The Council periodically undertakes reviews of its policies and wishes to actively encourage feedback to ensure the safety of the travelling public of Knowsley and nearby areas.
The aims of all licensing consultations are:
Ø to ensure that no unnecessary or unreasonable burdens are placed on licensees;
Ø All procedures and policies once reviewed are transparent, reasonable, fair, and as easy as possible for licensees and service users to understand and accept.
On this occasion the Council wants to know your views on the current requirement for a Driver Knowledge Test for (a) Hackney Carriage Drivers and (b) Private Hire drivers.
All responses received will be submitted to the Licensing Committee to assist them in making an informed decision on the future policy relating to hackney carriage and private hire knowledge tests in Knowsley. The future policy will affect not only the relevant businesses within Knowsley but also the general public and other service users within Knowsley. If you wish to comment on this particular consultation please complete as appropriate. If your comments require further space please add the question number(s) to the supplementary sheet at page 4 and, when completed, return the whole completed questionnaire, before the closing date of 31 JULY 2015 either by:
Ø email to OR;
Ø in person to any of Knowsley Council’s One Stop Shops OR;
Ø by post to:
Licensing Consultation Responses
2nd Floor Yorkon Building
Archway Road
Huyton, Knowsley L36 9FB
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX (A- K) ONLY PICKING THE MOST APPROPRIATE OPTION FOR YOU
1. / Pick the main capacity in which you are responding?a. / Hackney Carriage Driver / b. / Hackney Carriage Owner
c. / Hackney Carriage Owner/ Driver / d. / Hackney Carriage Radio Circuit
e. / Private Hire Driver / f. / Private Hire Owner
g. / Private Hire Owner/Driver / h. / Private Hire Operator
i. / Knowsley Resident / j. / Service user within Knowsley
k. / Other (please specify)
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
2. / If you wish to have your submission acknowledged please provide your email address.
Please acknowledge by email / I do not wish for any acknowledgement
Email:
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
3. / Should the Knowledge Test be retained for HACKNEY CARRIAGE Driversa. / YES / b. / *NO / c. / *UNSURE
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
4 / If your answer at 3 is YES please choose which of the following is the most important:a. / Customers get better service because drivers know the area better;
b. / Applicants have to study and so value a licence more when they finally obtain one;
c. / Helps to weed out applicants who would not conduct themselves in a professional manner;
d. / Other (please specify)
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
5. / If your answer at 3 is NO please choose which of the following is the most important:a. / The test prevents enough drivers being licensed in order to allow Operators and Radio Circuits to effectively service the customer demand for taxis and private hire vehicles;
b. / The test is a “memory only” & passing does not really mean that you can navigate the area;
c. / Modern Satellite Navigation and Data heads make the Knowledge Test unnecessary.
d. / Other (please specify)
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
6. / Should the Knowledge Test be retained for PRIVATE HIRE Driversa. / YES / b. / *NO / c. / *UNSURE
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
7. / If your answer at 6 is YES please choose which of the following is the most important:a. / Customers get better service because drivers know the area better;
b. / Applicants have to study and so value a licence more when they finally obtain one;
c. / Helps to eliminate applicants who would not conduct themselves in a professional manner;
d. / Other (please specify)
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
8. / If your answer at 6 is NO please choose which of the following is the most important:a. / The test prevents enough drivers being licensed so as to allow Operators and Radio Circuits can effectively service the demand for taxis and private hire vehicles;
b. / The test is “memory only” & passing does not really mean that you can navigate the area;
c. / Modern Satellite Navigation and Data heads make the Knowledge Test unnecessary
d. / Other (please specify)
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
9. / Is the current Knowledge Test set at an appropriate level?a. / YES / b. / *NO / c. / *UNSURE
10. / If your answer to 9 is YES please state briefly why you think this.
11. / If your answer to 9 is NO state briefly what would improve the test.
The recent Law Commission on Taxi and Private Hire Reform proposed many changes which, even if eventually enacted, will not become law until 2018 at the earliest. The Law Commission recommended that Hackney Carriage Drivers SHOULD require a Knowledge Test but that Private Hire drivers SHOULD NOT.
In the light of those Law Commission recommendations and also the answers you have already given, please finally tick the summary box at 12 and 13 which most closely agrees with your overall views in respect of each type of licence.
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
12. / In summary I believe the position below most nearly matches my views in respect of Hackney Carriage drivers:a. / The current Knowledge Test is necessary and set at the right level;
b. / The Knowledge Test is necessary but set at the wrong level;
c. / The Knowledge Test is unnecessary and an obstacle to business growth and prosperity;
d. / Satellite Navigation and Data heads make the Knowledge Test totally unnecessary;
e. / Other (please specify)
*PLEASE MARK ONE BOX ONLY*
13. / In summary I believe the position below most nearly matches my views in respect of Private Hire drivers:a. / The current Knowledge Test is necessary and set at the right level;
b. / The Knowledge Test is necessary but set at the wrong level;
c. / The Knowledge Test is unnecessary and an obstacle to business growth and prosperity;
d. / Satellite Navigation and Data heads make the Knowledge Test totally unnecessary;
e. / Other (please specify)
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Any resultant report will carry a table of the baseline responses to this consultation and, for future reference, a summary will also be lodged on the Licensing Consultations page of http://www.knowsley.gov.uk
*PLEASE USE THIS SHEET IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A FULLER COMMENT- MAKE SURE YOU CLEARLY INDICATE THE QUESTION(S) THE COMMENT APPLIES TO.*Additional Comment Sheet for:
Question ____
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