The delayed decision of Sandwell’s Labour council on the colour of private hire vehicles may put the public at risk.
In the past, the council required all vehicles used for private hire to be silver in colour. That had the merit of helping to identify cars as private hire vehicles. If they can be any colour, while that might suit operators, there is an increased risk to users.
It is not difficult to envisage the situation of a young woman on a dark street at night, her judgement clouded by alcohol, having spent the evening in a club or pub, getting into the first car that stops for her mistakenly thinking it is the private hire car she called to get her home, and getting into a whole lot of trouble.
The same scenario could apply with any vulnerable person and anybody can be made vulnerable by drink or drugs.
If a private hire car can look like any other car risk must increase. The risk is reduced by requiring a standard colour for private hire vehicles.
Nor can the allied proposal of Sandwell council to relax the age restriction on private hire car be justified. Previously the rule was that vehicles had to be under five years old when first licensed and not over eight years old at renewal subject to an “exceptional condition” exception. Here again public safety is involved.