Suitability Criteria for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Drivers

The Department for Transport (DfT) standards and the Welsh Government’s Harmonisation of Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing document were published in July 2020 and March 2021 respectively. Both publications focus on the imperative to ensure that licenses are held only by those who are fit and proper to do so.

The DfT publication sets out detailed standards against which individuals with previous convictions should be assessed. The Welsh Government harmonisation document endorses the same standards.

An analysis of Wrexham council's existing standards for taxi drivers and operators shows that they are not consistent with the DfT standard with differing rules applying in the same circumstances with regard to previous convictions of applicants for driver licences.

Revised suitability criteria are therefore needed in order to comply with the DfT standard and Welsh Government guidelines.

We are seeking views on revised suitability criteria that will be considered prior to a final decision on adoption. Views are sought from drivers, operators, vehicle proprietors, trade bodies, users of taxis, user groups, the residents of the County Borough and any other interested parties.

Three documents are provided to assist interested parties in reviewing the revised suitability criteria:

1. Draft revised Suitability Criteria 
2. Current Suitability Criteria
3. Key changes 

Clicking on the above will permit downloading of each document.

Interested parties are invited to review the draft suitability criteria (document 1) and provide any feedback. To assist, respondents can also view the current suitability criteria (document 2) and the document that highlights the key changes between the current and the proposed suitability criteria (document 3).

Please provide feedback to licensingservice@wrexham.gov.uk