Agenda item

The Committee considered the report which set out the request from Devon County Highways to undertake improvement and several amendments to taxi ranks within East Devon, following a review of taxi rank provision across the District Council area.

Most of the proposals from Devon County Highways are in respect of plans to upgrade the status of the ranks in local Traffic Regulation Orders to ‘No Stopping At Any Time’.  Several additional proposals related to recommendations for the amendment of existing taxi ranks as summarised in sections 1.2.2 to 1.2.5 of the report.

The Licensing Officer outlined the background to the matters set out in the report which had previously been considered by the Committee on 15 November 2023 and 13 March 2024.  The Licensing Officer drew the Committee’s attention to sections 1.2.9 to 1.2.11 of the report which set out the impact on EDDC’s current powers of the Devon County Highways proposals to amend the relevant traffic orders.

Mr James Bench and Mr Matt Lake of Devon County Highways were in attendance to answer any questions.

Responses to questions and discussion included the following points:

·        All East Devon hackney carriage drivers had been advised of the proposed amendments and most of the eight responses related to Exmouth.

·        It was noted that any East Devon District Council licensed hackney carriage driver can use any rank in the district.

·        Currently EDDC’s powers enable the Council to prosecute drivers who contravene taxi rank regulations, and it was considered advisable for EDDC to retain such powers under licensing legislation.

·        Devon County Highways was aware of the recommendations in the report.  Should the recommendations be agreed, two consultations would be run in tandem, one by DCC for the traffic order changes and one by EDDC for other changes to taxi ranks, with further discussion and work between the two authorities required.

·        It was noted that the recommendations in the report, if agreed, would maintain the status quo.

·        The Committee’s attention was drawn to Proposal 3: Victoria Road, Exmouth and the proposal to remove one car space on the existing taxi rank to facilitate a time-limited disabled space.  The East Devon Taxi Association’s response to this proposal as part of the previous consultation was that this would disrupt the natural flow of the taxi rank and that a more appropriate solution would be to use the first space of the taxi rank on the Strand, as this is never used by taxis and would not disrupt the flow of the rank.  An alternative proposal, which would be acceptable to DCC, would be to move the proposed disabled space to the western end of the taxi rank in Victoria Road [page 59 of the report] and this would be detailed in the DCC traffic order.

RESOLVED

1.     To exercise the Council’s powers under Section 63 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to approve moving to public consultation on the proposed amendments of the existing taxi ranks as set out in 1.2.1 to 1.2.5 of the report.

2.     That the requisite public notice be given of the proposed appointment as required by Section 63 (2) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

3.     That if no written objection or representation is received relating to the notice given under Section 63 (2) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 within the 28 day period following recommendation will be deemed appointed.

4.     That following the appointment of the taxi ranks Devon County Council Highways Authority be requested to put in place the appropriate legal provisions and to mark out the ranks.

5.     To indicate the support of East Devon District Council for the plans to upgrade the status of the ranks in Local Traffic Order Regulations, and to improve signage and markings as put forward by Devon County Council Licensing.

The Chair thanked Mr Bench and Mr Lake for attending the meeting.