DfT says 'lifts don't count as private hire'

The Department for Transport (DfT) has published guidance on what constitutes a private hire vehicle (PHV). It confirms that "most informal courtesy lifts offered by, for example, rental car companies or garages would not fall within the PHV licensing regime."

The guidance follows a review of legislation after the BVRLA highlighted the concerns of rental companies threatened with legal action by local authorities on the grounds that their vehicles had to be licensed to pick up or drop off customers.

"We estimate that compliance with private hire regulations would have cost members £3m a year and restricted the level of service rental firms could have offered to their customers," said Jay Parmar, head of legal services at the BVRLA. "We welcome the extra clarification."

The DfT's guidance note has been sent to interested stakeholders for comment by 25 March 2011 and will then be subject to ministerial approval before being published. Copies are available from BVRLA legal services executive Amanda Brandon.

Contact: Amanda Brandon, e: amanda@bvrla.co.uk t: 01494 545701

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source: BVRLA