Drivers with criminal records could be made to wait twice as long before when applying to become taxi drivers under new rules set to go under consultation in Sefton.
If approved, the new licensing standards would mean people convicted of violent offences, hate crimes and acts of dishonesty waiting much longer than previously before being eligible to apply to drive a private hire or hackney cab.
People convicted of any type of sexual or indecency offence would not be able to apply for a licence at all.
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Current guidelines state that people convicted of crimes related to dishonesty are unlikely to be granted a licence until a gap of at least three years since their conviction, depending on the offence.
The planned new rules, part of a series of statutory measures recommended by the Department for Transport, were discussed at a meeting of Sefton Council 's licensing committee tonight, June 13.
The rules would change the three year guideline to a requirement that: "a licence will not be granted until at least seven years have elapsed since the completion of any sentence imposed."
For people with convictions relating to violence, this time period increases to 10 years. Those convicted of possessing a weapon would have to wait seven years before being eligible to apply.
For offences involving discrimination, such as hate crimes, people would be banned from holding a taxi licence until at least seven years had passed since the completion of their sentence.
With drugs offences the waiting period would be 10 years and for any crimes resulting in the death of another, a lifetime ban on becoming a taxi driver would be imposed.
Under the new rules, there would also be a blanket ban on people convicted of sexual or exploitation offences applying to become hackney and private hire drivers.
Other planned changes to the rules would expand requirements for criminal record checks to include taxi operators and company directors as well as taxi drivers.
Discussing the plans, officer Mark Toohey said that the proposed changes are "statutory standards" introduced by the government, but which must first be consulted on before being included in council policy.
Cllr Judy Hardman queried the way sexual offences would be treated in the rule changes. She asked if there was any discretion on whether to grant a licence or not in individual cases relating to sexual or indecency convictions.
She asked: "Is there any provision for offences to be looked at and considered in the circumstances of that offence are such that there is evidence that person has now put that behind them and become a different person?"
Cllr Hardman cited a situation where a young person may have been convicted of sexual offences but which would be unlikely to make them a "lifetime offender."
She said: " I'm thinking of a young person or even an adult really, who can get convictions for a sexual offence for something which at the time was not evident they are going to be a long term sexual offender.
"If they're out with gang of mates and start sexually harassing someone on the train for example, it's not a good thing to do but it could be they're not going to be a lifetime offender."
Responding Mr Toohey said there was a way that members could potentially amend some of the rule changes but there would have to be justification as to why this would be so.
One member pointed out that people already had the right of appeal to a magistrate to hear the specific circumstances of their case, which could lead to a licence being granted in some circumstances.
Councillors agreed to begin the consultation process about the planned changes, with the results to be brought back to the committee at a later date.
