Wolverhampton retains current policy on new Hack plates.

The decision, as I understand it – subject to sight of the Minutes of the meeting but my client is the Chairman of the HC Association – was that the policy would remain unchanged i.e. that any application for an additional HC plate will only be accepted on the basis of presenting a brand new WCA type vehicle – the policy adopted in 2005.

However. existing vehicles now require to be replaced with a vehicle not more than five years old and must come off the road after 16 years from registration – hardly onerous.

The proposed policy shown in the ‘links’ section was the Officers’ recommendation which was thrown out by the Committee when it met last Wednesday morning.

The support which David Wilson and I provided was by way of a briefing for counciullors and cabinet members which pointed out that the Report from the Officers did not take account of the serious implications which may flow from the Equality Bill currently at Committee stage in the House of Commons – some food for thought there.
Wolverhampton has no saloon type hacks and could be in some difficulty if the Bill as finally enacted includes a ‘mixed fleets’ approach – not looking likely at present lads and lasses, it must be said.

Wolverhampton Council last reviewed its policy in 2005 and was advised by our dear friends Halcrow that Wolverhampton needed 300 hacks.

The council, like NTC until 2004, is uncapped and allows applications for new vehicles of WCA type. The number of hacks has grown from 90 odd to 120 odd in four years.

In addition, our commentary for the committee pointed out the impact of the current financial situation and the need to have regard to the Local Transport Plan and likely changes in funding patterns for the support of special needs transport in the West Midlands area.

The result is that those who have ‘invested’ in new vehicles to obtain a plate will have a further 18 months at least to recoup some of their outlay before the policy is reviewed again, unless the committee is persuaded otherwise.

Unlike our Regulation and Review Committee in North Tyneside, the decision in Wolverhampton was not carried through in traditional ‘Politburo’ style and the HC Association got a considered response from the Committee, to the discomfort of the Officers who had assumed the ‘opening of the floodgates’ was all cut and dried.

As ever the devil is in the details.