Central Bedfordshire Council shake-up mandates council-run depots for six-monthly taxi MOTs
- Perry Richardson
- 36 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Central Bedfordshire Council has approved changes to its taxi and private hire vehicle testing regime that will require all eligible licensed vehicles to undergo their six-monthly MOT inspections at council-designated depots.
The update to the authority’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Policy was agreed by Full Council on Thursday 29 January and aligns the six-monthly MOT requirement with the annual compliance testing already carried out by the council.
Under the revised arrangements, drivers will no longer be permitted to attend any MOT testing station of their choosing for the interim test. Instead, vehicles must be presented at one of the council’s approved depots, placing the process fully under local authority control.
The council said the move is intended to strengthen passenger safety by ensuring that all licensed vehicles are inspected to the same standard. By removing reliance on multiple commercial testing centres, the authority aims to reduce variation in testing practices and improve consistency across the licensed fleet.
Licensed taxis and private hire vehicles will no longer be able to use commercial MOT stations for interim tests after a policy change approved by councillors
Central Bedfordshire said council-controlled testing will also improve regulatory compliance. Vehicles will be assessed against a uniform interpretation of licensing conditions, rather than relying on differing approaches that can exist between private MOT providers.
The policy change also creates scope for wider enforcement activity. The council said that, in future, its depots will be able to carry out licensing compliance checks immediately after the MOT inspection, before a vehicle is returned to service.
Councillor Tracey Wye, our Executive Member for Sustainability and Climate Resilience, said: “The safety of passengers and drivers is our top priority. By carrying out 6-monthly MOTs at council-designated depots, we can ensure every licensed vehicle is tested to the same high standard and meets both national and local safety requirements. This change provides greater consistency, stronger oversight and added reassurance for everyone who relies on taxis and private hire vehicles across Central Bedfordshire.
“We will continue to work with the private hire and hackney carriage trade to ensure the implementation of the new arrangements is clear and well communicated.”
