GREEN AND WHITE: Contactless payments and new livery arriving in Plymouth to modernise industry

Image credit: Plymouth City Council

A fleet of green and white cabs are coming to the streets of Plymouth, along with several other changes, including mandatory contactless payments and enhanced safety checks.

Plymouth’s new taxi licensing policy has now been approved by Full Council but there are some key changes following consultation with the public and the Council’s scrutiny committee.

The new livery will happen, but there is now a five year lead-in time (May 2027) to allow the industry to first recover financially from the coronavirus pandemic. From May 2027 private hire vehicles will no longer be able to use white vehicles.

From 1 May 2022 other changes will arrive which include:

• There will be no limit on the number of hackney carriages

• Drivers can return to the trade within three years without having to complete the knowledge test.

• The Plymouth Ambassador Course and the English Spoken Test will now be pre-requisites for new drivers.

• Both Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Vehicles must take contactless payments by July 2022.

• The Department for Transport recommendations for additional DBS requirements for drivers, vehicle proprietors and operators will be introduced.

• Operators will be required to keep a register of all booking staff and undertake safeguarding training.

• One year licence fees and the first 12 months of a three year licence will now be non-refundable.

• A staggered approach to introducing cleaner vehicles by 2030.

Councillor John Riley, Governance Human Resources, IT, Community Safety and Licensing, said: “The green and white livery will be introduced to increase public’s confidence that they are hailing a properly-licensed and approved cab.

“The colours are distinctive - they are Plymouth’s colours and promote pride and professionalism. At night, this will help with identification and will support clearer CCTV images if required.

“We know it’s been a tough few years so are giving drivers and operators more time to do this and this is allowable as a business expense.”