New licence introduced after calls from taxi trade

Harborough District Council’s Regulatory Committee agreed on 28 November 2017 to introduce a dual driver’s licence, from 1 April 2018, for Hackney Carriage (taxi) and private hire vehicle drivers following requests from the taxi trade.

Dual licenses will be issued to drivers who have passed the enhanced knowledge test as part of the application process and if individuals hold a dual driver’s licence they would be able to drive both a Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicle allowing a certain degree of flexibility. Also, the driver would only need to pay to apply for one licence application – rather than two.

Councillor Jonathan Bateman, Harborough District Council’s portfolio holder for environment and regulatory services said: “We’d been told by taxi companies that sometimes they find themselves in a situation where they a have a private hire vehicle and a Hackney Carriage driver available – but the driver is not licensed to drive the private hire vehicle. The introduction of dual licences will solve this issue.”