Extension to the vehicle age criteria condition

Background information

Leeds City Council operates an age criteria of seven years on licensed Hackney carriages and private hire saloon vehicles and eight years on all licensed Hackney carriage wheelchair accessible vehicles.

In conjunction with this, an inspection policy for vehicles seeking to be licensed beyond 7 or 8 years of age as applicable, is in place for those proprietors wishing to extend their vehicle licence.

The purpose of this policy is to encourage proprietors to maintain their vehicles to a good standard throughout the life of their licence. It also aims to reward those proprietors who can demonstrate that they have invested in the maintenance of their vehicle over a period of time in order to achieve the standards set out within this policy.

The policy is based on the consideration that licensed vehicles are providing a public transport service and as such standards of safety are essential and the vehicle should be in good condition for its use and mileage. The appearance of the vehicle, externally and internally, and the level of comfort and cleanliness it offers can adversely impact upon the image of the city of Leeds if the vehicle is shabby. It is also important that licensed vehicles have an acceptable emissions level.

The council will encourage proprietors to aim for this standard so that the travelling public will benefit from the standards of safety and comfort being maintained and proprietors can take advantage of economic savings by qualifying for this extension.

A currently licensed vehicle may continue to be re-licensed beyond 7 or 8 years from the date of first registration providing that it remains:

• in suitable mechanical condition
• safe
• comfortable
• meets all licensing conditions

To assess all these issues an Authorised Vehicle Examiner of the council will conduct an extended inspection of the vehicle and assess it against a set criteria.

Proprietors must be able to demonstrate a service history for the vehicle which clearly demonstrates a schedule of preventative maintenance rather than a schedule of repair as a vehicle deteriorates in order to make good.

How does this affect my current licensed vehicle?

The purpose of this policy is to encourage proprietors to service and maintain their vehicles in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions throughout the lifetime of the vehicle.

If your vehicle is well maintained, mechanically sound, meets emissions standards, has good exterior bodywork and paintwork, meets high standards of interior cleanliness and comfort with accompanying evidence of a service history, an extension beyond 7 or 8 years may be granted.

So, will there be extra inspections?

Yes. There will be an extended inspection if you wish to apply for your vehicle to be licensed beyond 7 or 8 years of age up to a maximum of 10 years of age, or 12 years of age for a 5, 6, 7 seat wheelchair accessible vehicle (as designated on the Hackney carriage approved list). Ultra low emission vehicles (electric, petrol hybrid or LPG) may also be licensed up to 12 years of age, following an age extension inspection.

There will also be an additional inspection at some point during the following 12 months of the issuing of the vehicle licence.

Leeds Clean Air Zone (CAZ) – owners and proprietors wishing to apply for grants and loans for Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) in 2019

The council wants to encourage owners and proprietors to replace high emission or high pollution vehicles, which would incur a CAZ charge, with ULEVs, which would not incur a CAZ charge. In 2019, the council will make available packages of grants and loans to ease the replacement of high emission and high pollution vehicles with ULEVs.

In 2019, Petrol, diesel and diesel hybrid vehicles with a maximum age of licence between 1 January 2019 and 30 June 2019 will be permitted a temporary extension of up to six months (1 June 2019 to 30 December 2019) beyond their maximum age of licence to allow their owners and proprietors to apply for a grant or loan for a ULEV.

Owners and proprietors must have their vehicle pass an age extension inspection before the temporary extension is granted. Vehicles failing the age extension inspection will not be eligible for the temporary extension, and must be replaced. Once a vehicle has been granted a final temporary extension to its licence, it may not be transferred.

Will I be charged for the extra inspections?

Yes, the vehicle Proprietor will be charged a fee for the inspection associated with extending their vehicle licence. The vehicle inspection and associated administration checks, i.e. reviewing your service history/ schedule of maintenance in line with our licensing records, will last up to 3 hours.

Which areas will be inspected?

Vehicles used as taxis or for private hire work undertake significantly more mileage and wear and tear in an operating environment and timescales not usually sustainable for a standard production family saloon vehicle.

The following areas will be examined as part of the extended inspection:

• suitable mechanical condition including service history and emissions*
• safety
• appearance, cleanliness & comfort
• licensing conditions

* Service history in line with manufacturer's guidelines.

By following the vehicle manufacturer's service schedule and guidance, along with a proper care plan for the body work and the interior, a vehicle can easily be maintained to a very good condition compared to those which are neglected or not properly serviced, enabling the careful owner to easily demonstrate it is fit for continued public service.

The vehicle must pass all four areas of inspection to be licensed beyond the age criteria.

They must also be able to determine that documents presented can conclusively be attributed to work carried out on that licensed vehicle at a particular time in its working life.

Upon receipt of the formal application and associated fee, an appointment will be made to carry out the vehicle inspection. The inspection will take approximately 3 hours.

The Officer conducting the test will examine the vehicle against a detailed check list of the areas identified.

How will my vehicle be tested?

An example the testing standard for ‘Suitable Mechanical Condition’ is produced below;

Officers will inspect the other four areas for inspection to this same standard. Vehicle Proprietors will be supplied with a copy of the inspection notice.

Fail

• probably beyond economical improvement to meet required standard
• indications of sustained neglect
• falls short and requires significant remedial attention
• has little service history

Improvement notice

• generally good, but with areas for improvement
• has record of servicing with validity

Pass

• in good condition, having substantial documentary evidence with continuity

How can I apply for an extension to the vehicle age criteria?

To extend the licensing age of a vehicle a proprietor should:

• make a formal written application
• pay an extended inspection fee
• present the vehicle for an extended inspection by an Authorised Vehicle Examiner at the appointed time

The application must include the vehicle's service history and all the official documents, bills, and associated receipts to support the view that the vehicle is in good condition. You must provide a copy of all of this documentation, presented in date order, to be retained on your file.

Any service book and supporting documentation presented to demonstrate the vehicles service history will be scrutinised by Authorised Officers for validity.

When applying this policy, Officers need to be satisfied that any information presented is genuine and will be looking to ensure the documentation is consistent with licensing records and any other available information relating to the vehicles mechanical history.

Proprietors are encouraged to maintain documentary evidence throughout the life of a vehicle licence which demonstrates when a vehicle received preventative maintenance and repair by qualified and reputable vehicle repairers.

Documentation produced from repairers that can not be validated or is not consistent with other recorded information may not be acceptable.

The council cannot support the use of disreputable companies who are unable to account for repairs they have carried out on licensed vehicles.

The council can only support applications for an extension to the age criteria which show that any maintenance which has been carried out on licensed vehicles has been done by repairers who can demonstrate that they are trained and qualified to do so. This is essential in order to ensure the safety of the travelling public.

Authorised Vehicle Examiners must be able to substantiate the technical abilities of a person carrying out repairs and the quality of replacement parts.

I want to apply for an extension to my vehicle licence; what should I do?

You must submit your written application no more than 12 weeks and ordinarily not less than 3 weeks prior to the expiry date on the current vehicle current licence.

Your vehicle will not be granted an extension to the age criteria until it has successfully passed the inspection process.

The whole of this application, inspection and approval process must be completed prior to the expiration of the current vehicle licence.

My vehicle has passed its inspection; what happens next?

If your vehicle inspection was successful, an extension to the policy would be made for your vehicle for a period of twelve months.

If you were to submit a subsequent application, the same procedures would apply.

My vehicle has failed its inspection; what happens next?

If your vehicle inspection was not successful you will be advised of the reason for this. It is for the Proprietor to consider the cost effectiveness of bringing the vehicle to a condition that it can pass the inspection. Proprietors would need to follow the application process again, including paying the fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:What documents do I need to provide as evidence of my vehicle's service history, in line with manufacturers guidelines, and evidence of a schedule of preventative maintenance?

A:You must produce the following documentation:

• current MOT and V5 document (in the name of the proprietor)
• the vehicle's service book - dated with mileage
• receipts for service work carried out; dated with mileage and including parts fitted with relevant receipts

Q: Will you take a copy of my documents?

A: No. The Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Section do not offer a photocopying service. The cost of the application reflects that proprietors will need to provide their own copies of all documents.

Q: Why do I have to present my documents in date order?

A: This simplifies the process and reduces the time taken to undertaken the inspection.

Q: I regularly service and repair my own vehicle, what information do I need to provide?

A: You must provide:

• evidence of your applicable qualifications, i.e. City & Guilds certificate etc.
• a record of all work carried out - dated with mileage and including parts fitted with relevant receipts