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BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Transport secretary vows to tighten taxi licensing laws
Ministers have vowed to pass laws to tackle inconsistent taxi and private hire standards amid fears some vehicles "are a dangerous place for many children and young people".Labour MP for Tipton and Wednesbury Antonia Bance spoke in the Commons on Thursday to ask what the government was doing about local taxi licensing referred to Wolverhampton, where applications are believed to be quicker and cheaper than those made Secretary Heidi Alexander said the matter was being taken "very seriously", promising to hold local authorities not following compliance to account. In January, the prime minister tasked Baroness Casey with conducting a rapid review into grooming gangs and child sexual findings, published on 17 June, identified "many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation" as having links with said: "Last week, the Casey review showed us yet again that private hire vehicles are a dangerous place for many children and young people.""What action is the minister going to take to make sure that local taxi licensing is done locally to high standards?" 'Lack of stringency' Alexander told MPs: "Baroness Casey has rightly brought this issue into sharp focus and we've committed to legislating this issue."We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options including out-of-area working, national standards and enforcement, seeking the best overall outcome for passenger safety."Baroness Casey dedicated a chapter of her audit to taxi licensing. It said taxis had historically been identified in a minority of cases as a way children became at risk of sexual exploitation."Both as a potential way for perpetrators to meet their victims, as well as a means of trafficking victims to different locations and introducing them to other perpetrators," the review later added: "A lack of stringency means that drivers who are unscrupulous can apply to a lax neighbouring borough" for a licence, and urged the government to "close these loopholes urgently". 'Illegal to refuse applicants' Licensed taxi drivers are allowed to operate anywhere in England and Wales and are not tied to the district where they got their licence.A report by Taxi Point highlighted 96% of Wolverhampton approved taxi and private hire licence holders lived outside the city between April 2023 and March 2024. City of Wolverhampton Council told the BBC safeguarding was its "number one priority" in taxi licensing and that it was "the first to implement the government's statutory standards and best practice guidance".A spokesman said. "It is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live."It is also illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences they issue."The council does not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ring-fenced for spend only on related activities." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans to turn real ale pub into convenience store thrown out
PLANS to convert a real-ale pub near Dudley into a convenience store have been refused by planning officers. The Old Chainyard in Coseley was at risk of closure, with operators Red Oak Taverns seeking planning permission ahead of a plan to sell the site to supermarket giant Asda. Dudley Council however refused the plan on March 12, saying that it was not an efficient use of the site and it would have a detrimental impact on the appearance of the area. Concerns were also raised about road safety, with the site being situated on the busy Castle Street. 34 objections were lodged to the plans, including one by MP Antonia Bance who said: 'Our Black Country locals are vital to our community and need to be protected.' The plans proposed for the single-storey extension at the back of the pub to be demolished and replaced with a larger rear and side extension to increase the floorspace. The planning officer's report said while the development would retain the early 20th-century building, the removal of an internal staircase would render the upper floor inaccessible and therefore fail to 'futureproof the heritage asset'. It also said: 'Due to the inappropriate design of the large single storey rear extension and the lack of enhancement to the frontage would detract significantly from the appearance of the existing building.' The planning officer noted that the plans had only made provision for 11 car parking spaces, when a development of this nature would require 24, with the shortfall of 13 spaces raising 'unacceptable highway safety concerns'. The planning officer's report also said: 'The proposed development fails to achieve safe access and serving arrangements for the convenience store with delivery vehicles proposed to exit the site onto Castle Street and being directed through the narrow busy local centre where on street parking is prevalent and in direct contravention of an existing Traffic Regulation Order. 'The proposed development would have an unacceptable impact on highway safety.' The planning officer's report reached the conclusion: 'The proposed development fails to make efficient use of the site and is not deemed to be acceptable in design terms. 'There are also substantive concerns in relation to highway safety, parking, servicing and design.'
