New tests are being introduced from 1 July 2016 for future taxi drivers in Bury in order to drive up standards and ensure passenger safety.

The Council’s Licensing Committee has agreed that people who want to drive a Hackney (‘black’) cab or private hire vehicle will have to show that their driving ability and communication skills are up to the mark.

Firstly, they will have to provide evidence that they have had a Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency driving assessment. Secondly, if they cannot produce evidence that they have a GCSE or equivalent in English and maths, they must take and pass a skills test set by a council-approved assessor.

The measures were unanimously approved by members of the council’s licensing and safety panel.

Councillor Steve Wright is the Lib Dem spokesperson on Licensing: “For me the most important issue is always passenger safety, and it is right that the Council should have the right tests in place to ensure that taxi passengers can be confident that a taxi drive licensed by our Council has good checks in place”.

The new rules start on 1 July and will apply to all new applicants, regardless of their background, nationality or whether they already have a licence from the EU or another country. The scheme will be reviewed in six months’ time and may be extended to cover existing drivers.