Reading Council considers dropping taxi turning circle restriction opening way for Ford MAXiCab and Mercedes Vito

Image credit: Cab Direct

Reading Borough Council is proposing to review its hackney carriage vehicle specifications, including the turning circle requirement, to allow more wheelchair accessible vehicles to be considered for licensing.

The proposals are set out in a report to the council’s Licensing Applications Committee. Officers say the current standards leave only three models eligible: the LTi TX4, LTi LEVC and Mercedes Vito. The Vito is the only one of the three able to accommodate larger electric wheelchairs, according to the report.

The existing requirements are based on the Public Carriage Office’s Conditions of Fitness, adapted by the council. They cover vehicle dimensions, roof signs, a partition between driver and passenger compartments, an intercom and turning circle. The report says the turning circle and vehicle length prevent other suitable vehicles from joining the hackney carriage fleet.

Officers propose developing a new Reading Borough Council Hackney Carriage Standards of Fitness Specification. This would allow different models to be assessed against local requirements and could admit wheelchair accessible vehicles such as the full electric and hybrid Ford MAXiCab.

The report also says that amending the turning circle requirement would make new Mercedes Vito models eligible. The council says a wider range of vehicles could improve capacity for passengers using larger wheelchairs and give vehicle owners more choice, including access to models that may be more economical and have lower servicing and repair costs.

The proposed change forms part of a broader review prompted by concerns from the hackney carriage and private hire trades about operating costs, vehicle availability and the existing licensing policy. The committee report says officers have discussed the issues with trade representatives.

The committee was asked to agree the proposed amendments for a six-week public consultation. Any revised policy would return to the committee for consideration in 2027. The report does not set out the final technical requirements for the proposed new vehicle specification.