Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Licences – PHV Trade Workshop 1
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=========== Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Licences – PHV Trade Workshop 1 Date: Monday 2 April 2012, 11:00 Location: Palestra, Moorgate meeting room Attendees: Steve Wright (SW), Licensed Private Hire Car Association Bill Edwards (BE), Chauffeur and Executive Association Eddie Townson (ET), Private Hire Board Patrick Raeburn (PR), Private Hire Board Kevin Clark (KC), GMB Helen Chapman (HC), TfL Tom Moody (TM), TfL Emma Davies (ED), TfL Alex Moffat (AM), TfL Steve Brockes (SB), TfL Darren Crowson (DC), TfL HC covered the reasons for the meeting, the existing PHV licence disc, background to the red route signage, the consultation proposal regarding PHV licences and red route signage, and the key responses to the consultation. The TfL proposal was to combine the front licence disc and red route sign into one shield shaped licence disc and to combine the rear licence disc and red route sign into a single licence plate. Exemptions from displaying the licence disc and plate would still be granted but PHVs that did not display this would not be able to stop on red routes. Front Disc SW raised the point that David Brown had previously said that the red route signage would only ever be temporary and that a technical solution, such as number plate recognition, allowing PHVs to stop on red routes would be introduced meaning additional signage would no longer be required. It was confirmed that the camera operators do not use number plate recognition systems for red route enforcement and the operators need to have signage that is clearly identifiable and distinguishable from other signage such as parking permits or tax discs. The PHV trade wanted to know why camera operators could not check vehicle registrations using the licence checker or the TPH database. The trade were not in favour of any text such as ‘no booking, no ride’ or ‘pre-booked only’ as they felt this encouraged people to try and flag down PHVs as they could identify it is a PHV/minicab and also this would not be acceptable to the chauffeur industry. Although a circular disc was preferred this was not feasible as it could not be distinguished from other circular signage such as tax discs and parking permits. The shield shape was chosen as it was easily identifiable and also allowed space for more or larger text. It was explained that some focus group research may be organised to look at the new PHV licence proposals and ET asked to be invited to this. The trade felt that the proposal for the front licence disc and shield shape could be accepted but requested that: • The size was roughly the same as the current licence disc • ‘No booking, No ride’ was removed and no alternative text was included There were no objections to the licence number on the front disc being larger as proposed by TfL. Rear Plate Concerns were raised about fixing an additional plate to the rear of PHVs or having to screw this to a vehicle and this would not be accepted by the chauffeur trade and owners of more expensive vehicles. BE said that his recommendation was for an additional display which could be affixed to the registration plate as this would be tamper proof, suitable for all of the PHV trade and would comply with the regulations regarding VRM plates. BE suggested a RFID chip could be used in this and then RFID readers provided to those who need to access the information. It was suggested that this could be used for chauffeur vehicles and a Mogo plate still used for other PHVs showing the name and number of the operator, although this would cause a problem for PHVs used by more than one operator. BE agreed to supply an example of the VRM plate display referred to. The next workshop is on Thursday 26 April 2012 at 11:00 at Palestra. Regards Darren Crowson Strategy and Infrastructure Manager Transport for London - Taxi and Private Hire Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road 4th Floor - Yellow Zone (4Y7) Southwark, London SE1 8NJ Tel: 020 3054 2945 (internal 82945) Fax: 020 3054 3160 From: Moffat Alex (TPH) Sent: 02 April 2012 14:02 To: Cc: Moody Thomas Subject: PHV Identifiers and Rear Registration Plates Hi Good to meet you today and an interesting meeting. I would be interested in looking at your proposals for PHV identifier information incorporated into the rear registration plates of PHV’s, would it be possible for you to share those with me? Regards Alex Alexander Moffat Vehicle Policy Manager Transport for London - London Taxi and Private Hire Palestra, 4th Floor – Yellow Zone 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ Tel: 020 3054 2924 Mobile: [email protected] From: Crowson Darren (TPH) Sent: 04 April 2012 07:41 To: Chapman Helen (TPH); Moody Thomas; Davies Emma (ST); Brockes Steve; Moffat Alex (TPH) Cc: Nwohia Flo (ST) Subject: PHV Licence Workshop 1 Notes Dear All, Below is a summary of the points from the workshop about the PHV licence disc. I was going to send this out to everyone who attended but let me now if you have any comments or questions. At the workshop we did say there would be research, which Eddie could come to, and so we need to decide what this will cover and when it will take place. It is going to be difficult to arrange before the next workshop and maybe we need to see and understand Bill's suggestion and if this is feasible and should be covered by the research. I thought it might also be useful to try and set out what everyone's requirements are from the front and rear licences and why, as I didn't think everyone was clear on this. Helen – I asked Sean in CCTE to confirm that their main requirements from the disc as understood by me were correct and that the essential points were that any licence was a clearly identifiable shape, easily recognisable and in a position on the vehicle that is visible using a camera and is consistent on all vehicles. I also asked for some lines on why they can’t use number plate recognition etc so as we can fully answer that question and try and close the issue down but Sean mentioned Paul Cowperthwaite was going to speak to you about this and provide you with some information. Let me know if you think it would be useful to have a catch up before the next workshop. Regards Darren From: LPHCA [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 04 April 2012 09:00 To: Subject: Helen Chapman Letter LPHCA Importance: High As discussed. The Licensed Private Hire Car Association Email [email protected] Web www.lphca.co.uk 2012 Road Show - 14th June - London Heathrow Marriott Hotel Click here to pre-register for this event now ISSUE 57 Spring 2012 Private Hire News Now Published Click here to view magazine Licensed Private Hire Car Association Inc London Private Hire Car Association 7 E-mail: [email protected] Web WWW.LPHCA.CO.UK Helen Chapman Deputy Director TfL Taxi & Private Hire Directorate 4th Floor, Palestra 197 Blackfriars Road London SE1 8NJ 4th April 2012 Dear Helen, Following our meeting on Monday 2nd April regarding signage, the proposals as set out, I regret to inform you, would not be acceptable to LPHCA Members or in my considered judgement, the wider trade in London. Firstly to deal with the licence disc and the infectiveness of extra wording like ‘pre-booked only’. I was astonished to see this being put forward again in light of what the TfL consultation said about it, which with respect you clearly had confusion remembering and for the sake of clarity that was. The provision of the red route signs in addition to the licence discs is expensive and potentially confusing. Research suggests that many late night users see this sign as proof that the car is licensed and safe to use without making a booking, despite the ‘Pre-booked only’ wording. We see the licence disc, as absolutely being the place most suited for the safety of the travelling public to carry the licensing detail and we also remain comfortable with the shape and size as outlined on Monday. Given (as set out in the consultation your own research suggests) that despite the warning the public do not take any notice, this message must be confined to history as ‘wholly inappropriate and unacceptable’. I go further and say that the public confusion you admit actually ‘compromises’, rather than enhances safety. Moving onto something else that once again with respect, you clearly got confused about on Monday, was your stating that the LPHCA in our response had sought ‘Mogo Style Plates’, which is absolutely incorrect. Once again for the sake of clarity this is what we actually said on number plate based solutions and signage in general. Due to the inability of the original discs to facilitate enforcement (by camera) and to avoid confusion among other motorists, whilst ensuring high compliance with red route stopping controls, these prominent but temporary signs were allowed on London Licensed PHVs. Such signs displaying the ‘TfL Private Hire’ roundel, which according to TfL TPH ‘are expensive to maintain and supply’, and are distributed through ‘Licensed Private Hire Operators’ are affixed on the ‘outside’ rather than the inside of the front and rear screens, which has caused some problems. Unfortunately such signs are ‘not fit for purpose’, as they have been replicated and have been used to ‘Aid and Abet’ illegal activity, notably illegally plying for hire. They were also ‘Not wanted by the Chauffeur part of the Industry’ as they are not ‘aesthetically’ pleasing.