The Welsh Government has issued guidance for local authorities to ensure taxi and private hire vehicle operators and drivers meet licensing requirements.

Welsh Government are developing new legislation and will be engaging with key stakeholders over the next 12 months to ensure this meets the needs of the sector. Our long-term aim is to produce a licensing system with a focus on, public safety, equality, improving the environment and customer experience.

The Welsh Government said new legislation will take some time to develop properly. Consequently, Welsh Government has been working with the Welsh Local Government Association and taxis licencing leads from Local Authorities from across Wales to develop some short term recommendations to help to better manage the sector between now and the new legislation being and place.

The guidance covers:

• Introduction.
• Background.
• Welsh Government vision.
• Outline of recommendations.
• Reasons to adopt the recommendations: public safety; consistency; enforcement; accessibility; customer service.
• Driver standards: DBS check; overseas criminal record check; medical checks; Equality Act medical exemption policy; driver conduct; driver dress code; private hire driver conditions; safeguarding training.
• Vehicle standards: DBS check; overseas criminal record check; vehicle closed circuit television cameras; video point of impact systems (VPIS) / dash cams; accessibility.
• Private hire operator standards: DBS check; private hire operator conditions.
• General policy: licence holder self reporting; national register for hackney carriage and private hire licence revocations and refusals (NR3); cross border enforcement; suitability policy; Department for Transport Statutory Taxis and Private Hire vehicle standards.