Consultation on the frequency of DVLA Group 2 medical assessments

Consultation on the frequency of DVLA Group 2 medical assessments for hackney carriage and private hire drivers licensed by Runnymede Borough Council.

The purpose of this consultation is to ask for your views on whether Runnymede Borough Council should revise its requirements around the frequency of DVLA Group 2 medical assessments for taxi drivers.

The consultation period will be from Wednesday 22 March 2023 until Wednesday 17 May 2023.

The information below will assist you in understanding the proposed revisions before making your views known on the consultation return form

Runnymede Borough Council have for many years required all Hackney carriage and private hire drivers to meet the DVLA Group 2 medical standard, this is the same medical standard applied to bus and lorry drivers. Runnymede have however required medicals more often that the DVLA requirements and it is now appropriate to review our frequency for medicals in light the following factors and consider reducing the number of medicals required by aligning ourselves with the DVLA medical frequency:

• The draft revised Department for Transport best practice guidance recommends the DVLA Group 2 frequency for medicals be used by licensing authorities.
• To reduce the cost to drivers, the cost of a typical Group 2 medicals can vary between £100 and £150.
• To reduce the amount of officer time spent sending medical reminders to drivers and checking of medicals when they are received.
• Officers are aware of the difficulty drivers are having in many cases trying to arrange a medical appointment with their GP.  It may be that these are unnecessary and place a further burden on GP surgeries.
• There is no evidence to show that having medicals of a greater frequency that the Group 2 requirements has made transport by taxis any safer.

Runnymede Borough Councils current requirements within our Hackney carriage and private hire Policy state that all Hackney carriage and private hire drivers must have a DVLA group 2 medical with the following frequencies:

• On submission of a new hackney carriage or private hire driver licence application and thereafter every five years until the age of 60.
  • At age 60 and thereafter on an annual basis.
• In the event of a disability or medical condition which may affect an applicant’s ability to drive being disclosed to the Council’s licensing section whilst the grant of a licence is in force

It is proposed that Runnymede Borough Council’s requirements be revised so that our Hackney carriage and private hire Policy reflects the frequency of medical checks as required by the DVLA Group 2 medical standard as below.

A group 2 medical assessment will be required at the following frequencies

• On submission of a new hackney carriage and private hire driver licence application. (thereafter drivers renewing a licence up to the age of 45 must, as part of the renewal application, declare any change in their medical condition and provide evidence of such to the Council)
  • At age 45 and thereafter every five years until the age of 65
  • At age 65 and thereafter on an annual basis.
• In the event of a disability or medical condition which may affect an applicant’s ability to drive being disclosed to the Council’s licensing section whilst the grant of a licence is in force.

It is important that we get as many responses as possible through this consultation.

The Councils Regulatory Committee will meet again on 20 June 2023 to decide on the matter and your views are a key factor in the decision-making process.