A splash of colour

Its been a while since I mentioned taxis in Plymouth but there could be a very interesting change ahead.

A new distinctive taxi livery for all Hackney Carriages could be introduced in Plymouth as the city gears up to commemorate Mayflower 400.

The public as well as the taxi and private hire trade are being asked what they think about the idea as part of a number of proposed changes to the city’s Taxi Licensing Policy.

The new policy also proposes that all taxi drivers must attend a Plymouth Ambassador Course so that they can fully understand what Plymouth has to offer and enhance customer care. There is also a new dress code proposed for drivers to enhance the professionalism of the service.

Other changes include requiring all drivers to receive safeguarding training, updated guidance on the relevance of convictions, code of good conduct, wheelchair and assistance dogs exemptions, and a spoken English assessment.

Councillor John Riley, the Cabinet Member responsible for Licensing, said: “I am passionate about Plymouth and with Mayflower 400 fast approaching in 2020, this is an ideal opportunity to help our taxi drivers contribute to making Plymouth a first class cultural destination to be remembered.

“We are carrying out a number of projects in the city to mark Mayflower 400 and introducing a taxi livery will help us support these projects.”

The international importance of Mayflower 400 provides Plymouth with an exceptional opportunity to show the world what the city is really all about, and what it means to be in Britain’s Ocean City.

Taxi livery for all Hackney Carriages has been successfully introduced in a number of cities such as Exeter and Brighton and has received positive comments from the public. The livery makes it easy to identify a licensed taxi which, in turn, improves customer confidence and promotes professionalism of the taxi trade.

Councillor Riley continued: “We understand that this will be a considerable investment for vehicle owners and the Council is looking for any funding opportunities that could assist with this.

“We are looking for feedback from local businesses, the public and the taxi trade about whether this should be included in the new taxi policy.”
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The consultation starts on today Tuesday 3 October and full consultation details can be found at www.plymouth.gov.uk/feedbackandcomplaints/consultations.

Anyone who wants to make a formal representation about the draft policy should email taxilicensing@plymouth.gov.uk or write to Taxi Licensing, Windsor House, Plymouth, PL6 5UF by 27 November 2017.

There will also be holding a drop in consultation session on Monday 6 November between 10am and 2pm in the Drakes Room, Lower Guildhall, Plymouth Guildhall.

This is an excellent idea and one which is well overdue. The livery is clean and smart and manages to be distinctive enough without being too expensive. The base cab is white so it just needs the green adding. The Exeter cab fleet is very smart (red and black) but it must cost quite a bit to apply.