Conwy councillors refuse private hire vehicle licence after safety suspension and unreported crash
- Perry Richardson
- 16 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Conwy councillors have refused a new private hire vehicle licence application for a 2020 Skoda Octavia following concerns linked to vehicle condition, a previous safety suspension and the failure to report a crash to licensing officers.
The application, submitted by Lyn-An Ltd for vehicle registration DF70 EYO, was considered by Conwy County Borough Council’s General Licensing Committee after officers determined they could not approve the licence under delegated authority.
Council policy states that private hire vehicles must be under five years old from the date of first registration unless they are maintained in “exceptionally good mechanical and bodily, interior and exterior condition”.
Committee papers showed the vehicle had previously operated as a licensed private hire vehicle from November 2023 until its licence was revoked on 14 March 2026.
Licensing committee rejects application for 2020 Skoda Octavia following concerns over vehicle condition, compliance failures and previous revocation
The vehicle had first been suspended in November 2025 on public safety grounds due to a cracked rear light. Officers also issued a deferred notice relating to the vehicle’s body condition. While the rear light defect was repaired within the suspension period, concerns relating to bodywork remained outstanding for a further month.
When officers later followed up the outstanding notice in January 2026, they were informed the vehicle had been involved in a crash. The suspension notice eventually expired in March, leading to the automatic revocation of the licence under Section 68 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
Licensing officers also reported that the licence holder failed to notify the authority of the collision, despite local policy requiring any accident materially affecting the safety, performance or appearance of a licensed vehicle to be reported within 72 hours.
A new application for the vehicle was submitted on 22 April 2026, but councillors ultimately decided to refuse the licence.
