Portsmouth taxi drivers who do not show the right livery on their cars will be punished

The chairman of its licensing committee said the new strike-based system would give the council stronger powers to deal with repeat offenders.

‘What we're trying to do is put some teeth on the bones of this,’ Councillor Scott Payter-Harris said. ‘With livery there's never really been any harsh penalties for people who are straying from the policy.

‘Now, after the third time of doing it, they're going to have permanent fixed livery. Fingers crossed, people will actually start playing by the rules.’

Council licensing officers had originally called for a requirement for all taxis to have its livery displayed permanently after data showed three per cent of drivers had not complied with rules allowing a magnetic version to be used. The rules had previously been relaxed in 2019 to allow drivers who work for several companies to have a detachable livery, making it easier to display which firm they were on duty for.

‘The use of an approved vehicle livery to promote and to identify a locally-licensed vehicle goes to the heart of promoting public safety and reassurance, particularly to those vulnerable passengers awaiting a pick-up at night,’ a December report said.

But the proposal prompted a backlash within the industry with councillors instead favouring a new punishment system.

Uber representative Peter Sutherland said: ‘I have suggested to enforcement officers on more than one occasion that there are different punishments that can be given to offenders, especially repeat offenders, to eradicate the problems swiftly and cover all the concerns.’

Drivers had warned that the move would restrict their ability to operate outside Portsmouth.

Under the revised version, which was approved by the licensing committee on Monday, drivers caught without council livery on display will receive two warnings before being required to use a permanent version of the livery on their vehicle.

Any further breach will see their taxi licence suspended with the potential for it to be revoked.

Consultation on the revised taxi policy will begin in the coming weeks.