Vehicle Licence FREE-FOR-ALL for G7 Summit??

MEETING RESULT –

Members discussed the report, questioning why it needs to be Hackney Carriages as well and not just be Private Hires, and expressed concerns about giving work away to others outside the local trade. It was pointed out that in East Cornwall (where there is no numerical limit), all operators are Hackneys, and thus do not have operators licenses (needed for Private Hire). It was suggested that there is not enough time before the Summit to obtain an operators licence (not sure if that is true? I’m sure the last time I did it, it took hours not days!), but anyway; committee members certainly listened to concerns from the trade, and it was proposed that the matter be approved with modification – 2 year max age limit, and under 100k on odometer, which only just passed through at 7 votes for to 5 against. Hopefully this will not see any kind of invasion or under-hand stuff, and will appease those seeking the type of work suggested, provided the planned vehicles are under 2 years old.

Detail

On 30 April 2021, the Licencing Committee will consider authorising Licencing Officers to DEPART from the current Vehicle Conditions & Specifications, in order to be able to issue Hackney & Private Hire Vehicle Licenses for a period of “2 weeks” to cover the G7 Summit!

If approved, the vehicles will not be required to PASS a Taxi test like us, as long as the existing MOT on the vehicle is under 30 days old, and the vehicle less than 3 years old.

Apparently, some media companies and embassies have been asking for “BESPOKE” transport!!

Issues:

The Licensing Team have been approached asking whether the Council has any plans or current policies to help small operators to hire in specialist vehicles for the G7 Summit.

“In particular, one company has said that they have been talking to a number of embassies, consulates and media companies asking if they can provide a bespoke travel and transport service for them during the G7 summit”.

However, due to the extremely high specification of the vehicles requested they would have to hire them in for use for the G7 Summit. See here

Question (A): MOTs – How do you know the vehicle is mechanically sound and fit for purpose?

1. It may be under 3 years old, but it may also have already done 250,000 miles or more?
2. The MOT could have been performed at “a mate’s Garage”; how do you know it is credible? We have our vehicles tested at approved centres trusted by the Council.
3. If the vehicle is unsafe and something happens, is Cornwall Council then wide open to Litigation and a high-profile Media Storm – G7?

Question (B): What are the Bespoke requirements for these additional vehicles?

1. An armoured vehicle?
2. A combi-crew van which seats 6 with van space for media equipment as well?
3. A specific type of vehicle classed as a Limousine?
4. Vehicles with fitted bars and entertainment, a hot tub (I’m not joking!)?

Question (C): Where are these Bespoke Vehicles actually going to be hired from?

1. A car rental company such as say, Hertz or Europcar, or a Lease company?
2. Or has a Limousine operator from another part of the UK approached a local operator to try and do a back door deal to operate their Limousines in Cornwall for those 2 weeks, and give the local operator a skim off the top, thus CASHING IN, and denying existing local operators their rightful claim to the business?
3. Who has such vehicles lying around for a mere 2 weeks use?

Question (D): Are these Bespoke Vehicles going to be Environmentally Friendly?

1. Are these bespoke ‘high class specification’ vehicles going to be Electric?
2. Or are they going to be large engine polluters?
3. What will be one of the main topics at this summit?

Question (E): Why would these additional temporary vehicles need to be Hackney Carriages?

1. There are no Taxi Ranks at the Summit Venue. The Ranks are down in the town centre. There is no Taxi Rank at Newquay Airport. Patrons ONLY option is to advance book or take their chances at the booking desk.
2. As a Hackney Carriage they would be able to ply for hire as well when not required by the contracting company. There are already enough Hackney Carriages as determined by the Unmet Demand survey in both the Newquay Airport and St Ives areas, and any slack via advanced bookings is picked up by the Private Hire Vehicle industry – could it be that some operators simply want to CASH IN on the opportunity to get temporary Hackney Carriages by using the ‘Bespoke’ argument? Is the Council going to provide additional Taxi Ranks for additional temporary Hackney Carriages?
3. If this requirement genuinely cannot be met by existing operators and vehicles, then one would hope that such a contract for provision of such bespoke vehicles would be financially viable enough to support the provision of such vehicles, without the need for seeking additional work such as plying for hire, otherwise, why bother?
4. As they will be bespoke transport, and not necessarily living up to current Vehicle Conditions & Specifications, these vehicles would be inappropriate as Hackney Carriages anyway. You can’t park a 9 metre Limousine on a Taxi Rank. However, surely a Private Hire Vehicle License would be more than sufficient to allow these ‘bespoke’ vehicles to operate for the bespoke purpose they will be provided for, just as with the Tuk Tuks. Allowing only Private Hire Vehicle Licenses will be more than sufficient to facilitate these Bespoke Vehicles, whilst hopefully limiting any additional safety risks as a result of granting a license to a vehicle that DOES NOT meet the Councils Vehicle Conditions & Specifications (Unsafe).
5. Limiting this departure from the current Vehicle Conditions & Specifications for the 2 week period of the G7 to Private Hire Vehicle Licenses ONLY, would also ensure that the vehicle is only used for the Bespoke purposes for which it was supposedly needed, ensuring that the people who require this transport (the contracting entity) are fully aware of any safety issues with regard to such vehicles, as they have requested these specific bespoke vehicles, thus reducing the additional risks and liability to the Council.

Question (F): Why persecute the current operators in the trade with a FREE FOR ALL in the G7?

1. Current operators in the trade have always worked hard through the bad times, in order to make hay while the sun shines in the good times (Winter months/Summer months). The trade has been through exceptionally hard times with COVID, and now, is someone seeking to pull the financial rug from under our feet at the G7 and steal the Hay from us?
2. Current operators in the trade have jumped through all the hoops the Council asks us to jump through, in order to get our licenses. Now it is being suggested that for a period of a potentially very profitable 2 weeks, those hoops get put to one side so that others may cash in easily on the benefits of existing operators’ efforts. Does this mean that existing operators will be side lined for this 2-week period? Put on the bench?

Hhhhhmmmmmmmmm?!