Rotherham Council is urging people who take a taxi over Christmas and New Year to stay safe by ensuring the driver and their car is licensed by Rotherham Council.
The important reminder comes as the borough enters the busiest time of the year for parties and taxi use.
People are encouraged to make the request at the time of booking as it’s not guaranteed the taxi you order is licenced by Rotherham Council.
Cllr Sue Ellis, Licensing Board Chairperson said: “Standards among licensed drivers, vehicles and operators in the Borough continue to be of the highest standard. It’s essential you check that your driver is licensed and governed by these standards by checking their ID badge and licensing plate before getting into a taxi.”
Your driver should be wearing their ID badge using a clip or lanyard, if you can’t see it (for example, if you are sat in the back seat) then ask your driver to show you their badge. Check that the expiry date of the badge hasn’t passed and that the photo on the badge is one of your driver.
Vehicles licensed by Rotherham Council will have a licence plate on the back of the car and notice in the windscreen identifying the vehicle as a Rotherham licensed vehicle.
The Council’s taxi and private hire car policy is widely regarded as the gold standard by local authorities across the UK and is often used for benchmarking by other councils.
Rotherham Council taxi licensing ensures:
- All drivers meet the Rotherham’s high standards, which are amongst the highest in the country
- All vehicles have cameras in them that record all activity within the taxi – you can also activate audio recording if you feel that is necessary
- All drivers have received safeguarding training
- Vehicles meet the Council’s age limit requirements and are regularly maintained and inspected by the Council.
In recent years, the Council has completely overhauled its taxi licensing policy and established some of the highest standards for driver and vehicles in the country. This means that some people who don’t meet our standards are going elsewhere to get a licence, but are still able to work in Rotherham because of a loophole in the law.
You should make sure you ask for a Rotherham licensed vehicle when you make your booking, as some companies might send you a vehicle and driver that are not licensed by Rotherham and therefore may not meet the high standards we have set.
Cllr Ellis added: “By taking just a few seconds to check, you can ensure you’re getting into a vehicle with someone who has signed up to the strictest of standards. This will give you the best possible chance of having a safe journey this Christmas.”