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Pembrokeshire councillors back tougher taxi licensing checks and Euro 6 vehicle rules from 2027
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Licensing Committee has backed plans to introduce tougher taxi and private hire licensing requirements, including six-monthly criminal record status checks and new vehicle emissions standards.
Councillors supported the revised policy at a meeting on Thursday 22 October, following a six-week public consultation that attracted 30 responses from licence holders and residents.
The proposals will now require approval from the full council before they can be formally adopted.
Under the revised policy, licensed drivers would be required to subscribe to the Disclosure and Barring Service Update Service, allowing the authority to conduct criminal record status checks every six months.
The council also intends to adopt the Institute of Licensing’s updated 2024 guidance on assessing whether applicants and existing licence holders are suitable to hold taxi and private hire licences.
New driver applicants would face enhanced safeguarding and disability awareness training requirements, while medical assessment intervals would be revised.
The council’s consultation report said the proposed medical arrangements would reduce routine testing requirements for many existing drivers aged under 45, compared with the current requirement for a medical examination at every three-year renewal.
Private hire operators would also face strengthened responsibilities covering complaint handling, record keeping and reporting.
The proposed vehicle requirements include a minimum Euro 6 emissions standard for taxis and private hire vehicles entering the licensing system for the first time from 1 January 2027.
Existing licensed vehicles would remain exempt when their licences are renewed, provided there has been no break in licensing.
The council confirmed that the Euro 6 requirement would not mean drivers must purchase electric vehicles.
Officers said the approach was intended to modernise the licensed fleet progressively without forcing existing proprietors to replace their vehicles immediately.
The consultation found that 60% of respondents supported the proposed Euro 6 requirement for newly licensed vehicles.
However, only 44% supported extending an emissions requirement to vehicles already operating.
Support was stronger for several other proposals, with 70% backing the DBS Update Service arrangements, 73% supporting revised medical requirements and 76% agreeing with stronger private hire operator conditions.
The council has also proposed a new vehicle condition requiring paintwork to have a smooth, high-gloss finish.
The change follows concerns raised by licensing officers and vehicle testers about textured protective coatings, sometimes known as Raptor paintwork. Officers warned that such finishes could make it more difficult to assess the condition of underlying vehicle bodywork. No objections to the proposed paintwork requirement were received during the consultation.
Other amendments include exempting brand-new vehicles from the council’s initial garage MOT test, while retaining the requirement for a licensing compliance inspection before a vehicle is approved.
The permitted age of a taximeter calibration certificate would also increase from 10 to 30 working days.
Licensed vehicles would be required to display a council-issued customer feedback and complaints notice.
The revised policy also addresses failed electronic payments, allowing drivers to arrange retrospective payment rather than requiring passengers to travel to a cash machine.
Officers said the previous approach could be impractical in rural areas.
The council’s report acknowledged concerns about affordability, vehicle availability and the practical consequences of introducing new licensing conditions.
However, officers concluded that the consultation had not identified grounds for fundamentally changing the main proposals.
The authority said the revised framework was intended to improve consistency with Welsh Government guidance while balancing passenger protection with the operational needs of the licensed trade.
