People living in Rutland are being encouraged to take part in a public consultation that will help to decide how taxis and private hire vehicles operate in the future.

Rutland County Council is currently renewing its policy for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. As part of this process, residents are being asked to give feedback on some of the conditions that could be placed on local operators in future. This includes vehicle age limits and testing, use of CCTV and mandatory safeguarding training for drivers.

There are currently around 200 licensed drivers, 130 licensed vehicles and 16 operators in Rutland. An effective and up-to-date taxi policy is needed to make sure all licensed vehicles in the county are safe, comfortable, properly insured and available when required. Rutland County Council's taxi policy will also help to make sure drivers are fit and qualified to do their jobs. 

Public consultation on Rutland's new Taxi Policy is now live and runs until 5pm on Friday 21 July 2023. Residents can take part online by going to the Rutland County Council website and searching for 'Taxi Consultation'. 

Anyone without access to the internet can take part in the consultation by calling the Council on: 01572 722 577.

Rutland County Council is also contacting taxi and private hire vehicle operators directly, to gather their views on the policy before any final decisions are made.

Councillor Christine Wise, Rutland County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "Taxis and private hire vehicles are an integral part of our local transport system. They're often associated with getting around cities but are just as important in rural areas, like ours. You often need a taxi when other forms of transport are either unavailable or you have no other means of travel. It's therefore important we have an effective policy in place to make sure local services are fit for purpose. Please take part in this consultation and share your views."