SIGNS will be added to the sides of taxis and private hire vehicles to help those travelling out from Redditch town centre to more easily recognise borough council-licensed vehicles.
Red signs will be added to the front passenger doors of Redditch taxis or Hackney carriages, while pre-booking only private hire vehicles will have a green sign.
Currently, taxis only have signs on the roof of the car to identify them while minicabs only have small plates at the back.
The red taxi signs will be rolled out to vehicles by the end of January, while the green signs are currently being printed and will appear on the sides of all private hires before March.
Redditch Borough Council’s Licensing Committee chairman Coun Salman Akbar said some vehicles come into Redditch after being awarded licences from councils with more relaxed policies and these new signs would increase the visibility of Redditch-approved taxis, where it was tougher to obtain a licence.
He added: “Increasing visibility of our approved vehicles will also prevent the risk of people getting into any car after a night out.
“We have had some near-misses but no major incidents in that respect, but feedback from trade have said they want to raise the profile of their vehicles.
“People should only use licensed taxi and private hire vehicles as these will be subject to safety checks and the drivers will have been subject to vetting so passengers can rest assured they are in safe hands.”
Anyone with concerns or complaints regarding taxis or private hire vehicles in Redditch can email [email protected] or call 01905 822799.
