Wakefield's controversial taxi driver policy to be reviewed with eight-week consultation period

Taxi drivers in the city have staged regular protests in the city since the local authority adopted ‘fit and proper’ guidelines for cabbies in 2019.

Drivers who rack up more than six points on their licence in three years currently face lengthy bans from the trade.

Wakefield Drivers Association claim the council’s taxi licensing regulations are unfair.

The group has demanded that the Council scrap the so-called ‘six point ban’ and relax other rules, including extending the life of taxi vehicles, as they struggle during the cost of living crisis.

Members of Wakefield Council’s Licensing Committee today voted in favour of holding a consultation to review the policy.

Licensing officer Christopher Burnett said: “The current suitability policy is a document which the council has used to determine whether a driver is fit and proper.

“There is a whole raft of elements to the suitability policy.

“Our current policy was adopted in September 2019.

“It is three years since it was brought in.

“There have been some questions about the policy and some issues raised about it.

“As an authority we now feel that after three years it is appropriate to revisit the policy and review it.

Mr Burnett added: “That is not to say the policy will change.

“We will consult and see if we can address some of the issues that arise at the moment.

“What we are seeking is to go out to consultation. It will be a very, very comprehensive review.

“We want to get this policy right and where it needs to be.”

Councillors voted in favour of holding an eight-week consultation period.

The results will then be analysed and a report of the findings will be considered in January.

David Pickersgill, deputy chair of the committee, said: “Clearly, this is a high profile issue.

“This is an opportunity for people to raise their concerns after the three years that it has been operating.”