WAKEFIELD DRIVER’S ASSOCIATION 

We need your help in reversing this unfair council policy which treats WMDC licensed drivers as “second class” citizens.

SUITABILITY (CONVICTION) POLICY PETITION
The signatories to this petition would like Wakefield Council to consider the following option;

OPTION 1 - The new Suitability policy be discarded and the previous convictions criteria policy reinstated in-line with national legislation.

The reasons are as follows;

1. The recommendations by DFT and Institute of Licensing (IoL) are statutory guidelines ONLY and not enshrined in law.

2. The Road Traffic Act allows drivers to use their occupation to plead for an extension should they reach 12 points this policy over rules the Road Traffic Act.

3. A PSV (bus) driver can carry 73 passengers on a double decker bus and will only lose his/her licence on accruing 12 or more points and will only be banned for 12 months but a Private Hire or Hackney Carriage driver who can only carry a maximum of 8 passengers, accruing a mere 7 points is denied his livelihood for up to 5 years.

4. Taxi and Private Hire drivers have had to or will be buying vehicles costing anything from £15K up to £70K on finance to meet upcoming CAZ requirements in the district and throughout the country; a motoring conviction or two will mean immediate suspension for up to 5 years. Drivers will lose their only source of income immediately meaning they will not be able to pay any finance instalments and any other financial commitments, resulting in many drivers and their families facing homelessness or destitution.

5. No proper consultation had been carried out with minimum driver/stakeholder involvement. We believe that the Regulators Code had not been followed as specific questions relating to this policy were never asked or consulted upon.

6. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 states that convictions are classed as spent after one year for offences where a Community Order has been given and 2 years for custodial sentences of 6 months or less; based on these principals how is a 3-year suspension justified for 7 points on a driving licence?

7. There was no reason or logic to change from the previous convictions policy as the new one solely benefits the council from revenue in new licensing application and those who pushed forward the proposal, (in our case a highly conflicted IOL member) in charging for the representation of clients for his expert advice.

8. Why are licensed drivers subject to these new changes when council staff (eg Transport Services), carers and all others transporting and working with vulnerable people, young and old are not subject to the same rules?

Please sign and share this petition for equality and justice for the trade. 

Sign the e-petition and confirm your signature from your email inbox. Thanks