Closure of St Albans taxi licensing loophole a 'victory for professionalism and public safety'
GMB Union has welcomed the St Albans Licensing and Regulatory Committee’s decision to mandate the full Hackney Carriage knowledge test for all new dual taxi badge applicants from the private hire trade.
The move closes an unintentional loophole that would have allowed drivers without the necessary topographical knowledge to qualify for the dual badge, which permits standing at ranks and being hailed in the street.
GMB addressed the committee, raising concerns from its members around professional standards and passenger safety.
The committee agreed with the union’s position and stated that any existing private hire driver wishing to gain a dual badge will now be treated as a new dual badge applicant and must complete the Hackney Carriage test.
Raja Naveed Ahmed, St Albans Hackney Driver Representative, said:
“Protecting the hard-won qualifications of our members and maintaining the highest possible standards for public transport in St Albans is a core issue.
“This decision by the Licensing Committee shows that when the trade stands united, we can successfully lobby for fair and effective policy.
“We are pleased the council listened to the GMB and our members, choosing to uphold integrity rather than devalue the licence our professional drivers have worked so hard to obtain.”
Steve Garelick, GMB Regional Organiser, added:
“This is a victory for professionalism and public safety.
“We were clear: the proposal to bypass the full knowledge test was a fundamental threat to the integrity of the Hackney Carriage trade.
“Waiving that standard would have not only lowered the bar for the entire trade but was unfair to our existing Hackney Carriage members who passed the most demanding test.”
