A DECISION is now expected at a later date on controversial changes to regulations for cabbies is now expected at a later date after falling foul of a pre-election policy freeze.

The new Bradford Council rules include a hike in fees for vehicles failing safety checks and suspension when multiple dangerous defects are found, a requirement for regular vehicle safety and maintenance certificates to be provided by the proprietor and vehicles being fitted with CCTV.

These three new conditions have caused the most controversy and when consulted between 60 and 77 per cent of the trade were against them.

The plans were due to be decided on Wednesday by the council's regulatory and appeals committee, but were taken off the agenda following the council's decision not to debate any controversial issues in the run-up to the General Election.

The changes cover all private hire and taxis in the the district and also include operators being required to introduce a code of conduct and suitable background checks on employees, as well as displaying safeguarding window stickers in all vehicles.

In a report to the Council’s regulatory and appeals committee, Carol Stos, hackney carriage and private hire licensing manager, states: “The licensing service is working towards developing policies and procedures with colleagues of the Combined West Yorkshire Authorities. “The primary goal is the protection of the travelling public and the delivering of a consistent level of compliance / enforcement across the districts.”

The report was due to be considered at a committee meeting tomorrow, but the Council has confirmed that due to rules governing the General Election it will now be heard at a later date.

The hike in fees includes a jump from £20 to £100 for a critical safety fail for one defect, with the addition of a suspension for two dangerous defects.

The new CCTV policy is intended to safeguard and protect the public, but also protect the driver against violence from passengers.

Installing the cameras is estimated to cost £400 a car and the cost would also be tax deductible to a driver, as well as possibly attracting a motor insurance discount

As a result the licensing service is offering a reduction in the annual vehicle renewal of £50 for just over three years, at a cost to the authority of £160,000.

The deadline for installing CCTV would be the end of July 2019.

Shabbir Master of the Hackney Carriage Owners and Drivers Association in Bradford said that while CCTV would protect drivers from attacks the cost was too much and the Council should offer a grant to cover more of the outlay.

He also added that the introduction of a fee for a small number of minor faults was particularly concerning as this could easily happen to a driver and could be as simple as a headlight bulb going out.