Influential MPs have called for urgent reforms to taxi licensing as part of work to learn the lessons from the Rotherham sex abuse scandal, including the introduction of ‘statutory guidance’ to ensure consistent standards across the country.
A new report from the cross-party Communities and Local Government Committee, found a ‘damaging and significant legal loophole, which allows taxis licensed by other local authorities to operate within Rotherham, even if the drivers have had their application for a Rotherham licence rejected’.
‘In Rotherham, this means drivers are operating in the borough without meeting the council's recently-imposed requirement for taxis to be fitted with CCTV, for example,’ the committee said.
Chair of the committee Clive Betts called the situation ‘unacceptable’.
The MPs called on the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Home Office and the Department for Transport to introduce statutory guidance ‘without delay to ensure consistently high standards in taxi licensing across the country’.
It would also ‘enable local authorities to put in place and enforce specific measures which are appropriate for their circumstances - if guidance is not able to achieve this, the Government should consider legislation’, the committee said.
More than 1,400 children were sexually abused over a 16-year period by gangs of paedophiles in Rotherham and were comprehensively failed by both the council and police.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: ‘The LGA has long called for comprehensive reform of taxi and private hire vehicle legislation and is encouraged that the Committee has recommended that this is brought forward urgently.
‘Safeguarding is a priority for councils, who have reviewed their policies and introduced new measures to ensure their licensed vehicles are safer than ever, but they are still hindered by legislation that in some case predates the motor vehicle.
‘The LGA is calling on the Government to bring forward a reform Bill as soon as possible to address these gaps and reflect new developments in technology.
‘We have recently updated our 2015 best practice guidance and will shortly be running a series of regional workshops to update councillors on best practice and new case law.
‘The events will also include sessions on using licensing to prevent or identify child sexual exploitation, and to promote disability equality through accessibility to licensed vehicles.’
