Freedom of Information request - Long delay for private hire licence
Request ID: FOI-2724-2122 Date published: 25 March 2022
You asked
I am requesting TFL to share with me and the public through this request, figures of private hire license applications, which were received and processed from October 2020 by them. It would help me understand their criteria of successful applications, time it takes and how applications are considered.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-2724-2122/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 26 February 2022 asking for information about Private Hire Driver licences.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
You asked: I am requesting TFL to share with me and the public through this request, figures of private hire license applications, which were received and processed from October 2020 by them.
We have received 51,963 private hire driver application from October 2020 to 6 March 2020. Of these applications, and as of 6 March 2022, we have 854 new private hire driver applications and 867 renewal applications awaiting assessment.
Once we receive a private hire driver application an initial assessment takes place to ensure the required documents have been provided in support of an application and that the mandatory requirements for licensing are met. This stage also includes ensuring an enhanced DBS check has been undertaken by the applicant, which is undertaken by a third party and is outside of the applicant’s or TfL’s control. At this stage there may also be a process of requesting and receiving any missing materials until the application is deemed to be fully complete.
An applicant is then invited to apply for a topographical skills and safety, equality and regulatory understanding (SERU) assessment (for applications submitted from 1 October 2021). The time taken to complete the assessments depends on a number of factors, including how quickly an applicant books an assessment, the availability of assessments (which was impacted by nationwide COVID lockdowns) and the applicants ability to meet the required standard, or whether any retest of an assessment is required.
The licence application process is complex, multi-staged and often iterative, which can involve requests for further information or clarity from applicants. There are also a number of elements in the licensing process that are outside of TfL’s control, such as the completion of a DBS check and submission of any required medical information. Therefore, there is no target for when licensing decisions are taken and this depends on individual applications. In each case we need to ensure that an applicant is ‘fit and proper’ to ensure the continued safety of the travelling public.
For example, the time required to process an application may increase as a consequence of:
Applications being submitted but found to be incomplete or inaccurate
Checking that an applicant meets the mandatory requirements for licensing, such as the right to work in the U.K, and that they hold the relevant driving licence and driving experience
Consideration of the applicant’s medical fitness and whether they meet the DVLA’s Group 2 standard of medical fitness to drive. This may include a full review of the applicant’s medical history by our medical advisors
Ensuring that the applicant’s character meets the required standard, including a review of the results of a DBS check
The candidate successfully completing the required assessments of their topographical skills and safety, equality and regulatory understanding (SERU)
