Planned shake-up of taxi rules put on hold

A new licencing policy covering taxis in County Durham has been put on hold.

The planned introduction of a new taxi licensing policy was due to be discussed at a full meeting of Durham County Council yesterday.

But it has been put back so that further consultation can be carried out over the impact that the Covid pandemic has had on the travelling public and the taxi trade.

The new policy document was withdrawn, so that further consultations can take place.

The move is in response to concerns raised by the trade that the previous consultation had not been able to account for the full impact of the pandemic.

Cllr John Shuttleworth, cabinet member for rural communities and highways, said: “This is a very important policy for taxi users and for the trade itself and it is important that we get it absolutely right.

“The circumstances under which we have been developing the new policy have been severely impacted by the pandemic and we need to ensure that these are fully taken into account.”

Cllr David Stoker, chair of the council’s general licensing and registration committee, said: “The committee and the council’s officers have worked diligently to produce a well- rounded, forward-looking policy, with the safety of the travelling public and environmental protection at the forefront.

“However, further work should be undertaken on understanding the impact of coronavirus on the trade and passengers, which we will do over the coming months to allow us to consider these as part of the policy review.”