Changes which could see Rye’s taxi drivers face disciplinary action for deliberately driving away from a potential passenger could soon be put to a full council votes..
On Monday 12 January Rother District Council’s Licensing and General Purposes agreed to support proposals to update the authority’s penalty point scheme for the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade.
Under the scheme, any driver or operator who accrues more than 11 points is referred to a council licensing panel, which then decides whether further disciplinary action is required.
The potential changes to the scheme set out new ways drivers can be given penalty points. These new restrictions include vaping in vehicles, as well as parking on pavements and/or disabled bays. Both behaviours would result in a driver receiving three penalty points.
The revised scheme would also see drivers penalised for deliberately driving away from a taxi rank while a passenger with assistance needs is approaching. This behaviour would carry a six point penalty.
Committee members also opted to add their own change, which came in the form of a stronger penalty for drivers caught using a mobile phone while driving. The initial scheme would have seen this behaviour carry a nine point penalty, but the committee opted to increase this to 12 points instead — essentially triggering an automatic panel hearing.
With the committee’s support, the changes are due to be put to a full council vote at an upcoming meeting. The authority’s next full council meeting is due to take place on 23 February.
Image Credits: James Stewart .