Agenda item

The Committee received a deputation from Russell McLeod on behalf of the Taxi Group members on the Taxi and Private Hire Car Consultation Group relating to item 4.1 (Taxi and Private Hire Policy). Article 9 of this minute refers.

Mr McLeod sought clarification on a number of items contained within the report. He indicated that were a number of people driving the review of the policy, making reference to local press reports and social media posts since December 2025, openly encouraging people to take part in the public consultation a month before the Committee had yet to decide if they agreed with the recommendations.

He expressed concern that it appeared that a decision had already been publicly made and that the Committee had been bullied and harangued into making the decision to undertake a public consultation exercise on the policy.

He explained that in 2015, the Street Knowledge Test was removed for Private Hire drivers and at that time, there was already legislation going through Parliament that would eventually allow local authorities to decide if they wanted a Street Knowledge Test for Private Hire drivers, therefore the Council waited for this legislation to be passed in 2017 and thereafter the Licensing Committee adopted the current policy which required that both Taxi and Private Hire drivers required to pass the Street Knowledge Test, although there was no public consultation undertaken.

Mr McLeod indicated that narrative from the lobbyists always centred around problems at Taxi Ranks, the Airport, the Railway Station and certain "pinch points on Taxi Ranks at weekends, making the test for Private Hire drivers easier or removing it did not in any way address this issue.

He advised that as this policy review directly involved Aberdeen's Taxi Trade, he sought clarification as to why there had been no direct engagement with the trade stake holders, not even at the Taxi and Private Hire Consultation Group meetings.

He wished to remind the members that it was only a year since the independent Taxi Demand survey was presented to this Committee, and its conclusions that the was no significant unmet demand.

He made reference to the 100+ increase in drivers and vehicles since then, therefore there was no need to make any fundamental change if there was no significant unmet demand in November 2024.

He explained that it was the taxi group members opinion that if the Committee were of a mind to make fundamental changes, then another demand survey to justify such action would need to be undertaken, otherwise not only could it be open to legal scrutiny, there was also likely to be a moral question that would need answered.

He reiterated that in the past year, since the Street Knowledge Test was amended, over 100 new drivers had studied and committed their time to join.

In this regard, he intimated that any major changes to the Street Knowledge Test would have a significant economic impact on the existing 1000 drivers and would benefit only one operator, an operator who had operated in Aberdeen for just over a year, who was clearly informed of the policy when their application was granted, but who had done nothing but push the same mythical narrative since.

In terms of the report he made the following points:-

·       Aberdeen international Airport (AIA) dictated who could and could not work at the airport and any taxi could work at AIA provided they were willing to collect the £7 from the customer and pay back to AlA. Current city drivers would have the ability to work at both AIA and the city;

·       The Taxi Group members see nothing wrong with the current age of vehicle restrictions. Aberdeen had always prided itself on the quality of its fleet and once a valid vehicle was licensed and provided it passed its twice annual test, there was no age restriction. LEZ restrictions must be taken into account when considering any change to the age of vehicle policy;

·       Advertising on a Private Hire vehicle, was covered by legislation therefore it was not in the local authority’s remit to change it; and

·       Aberdeen's taxi trade should have been consulted prior to recommendations being presented to committee.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the deputation.