Backlash against proposals to allow Bradford cabbies to rely on SatNav
Bradford Council is planning a series of changes to the conditions it places on private hire drivers in the District.
PROPOSALS that would allow local cabbies to rely on Sat Navs rather than local knowledge have been criticised by a private hire boss and local Councillors.
Bradford Council had planned a series of changes to the conditions it places on private hire and Hackney Carriage drivers in the District.
One of these changes was to scrap the requirement for a local knowledge test, which quizzes drivers on Bradford’s roads, routes and landmarks and which they must pass before they get a licence.
The Council said scrapping the test would bring Bradford in line with wider changes proposed by Government, and was due to the prevalence of satellite navigation systems in modern cars.
The change would only apply to private hire drivers, not Hackney Cab drivers.
The changes were due to be decided by the Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee on Thursday, but members questioned the move that would allow people with little local knowledge to become private hire drivers.
A report to members said: “Modern vehicles now have ‘Sat Nav’ systems installed, and many private hire booking systems provide navigation instructions for picking up and dropping off passengers.
“Use of a ‘Sat Nav’ system is part of the DVLA driving test, showing how widespread and useful these systems are.
“Given the availability, reliability, and ease of use of these systems, the Licensing Service suggests new drivers shouldn’t need to pass a topographical knowledge test before they are granted a licence.”
At the meeting Kaz Shehzad, manger of Wibsey-based taxi firm Local Cars, said: “We feel our drivers should know about Bradford, know the streets of Bradford, know the places of interest in Bradford, especially with City of Culture.
“You shouldn’t remove the knowledge test.”
He told members he knew of at least seven incidents where reliance on a sat nav had led to issues such as taxis driving into a ditch or getting involved in accidents.
Mr Shehzad said there was a feeling that the decision had already been rubber stamped, as he knew of people applying for private hire licenses that had been told the local knowledge tests had already been scrapped.
Carol Stos, Licensing Service Manager, told members that the test had been temporarily scrapped, but this was due to an administrative issue involving the organisation that carries out the tests, rather than the planned change in policy.
Other members of the committee raised concerns about the removal of the knowledge test.
There was some confusion as to whether the Government call for knowledge tests to be dropped was guidance or mandatory.
Members decided to defer any decision until a future meeting, when a legal officer would be present to offer advice.