A private hire operator has accused Perth and Kinross Licensing Committee of double standards and operating in an amateurish way.
Matthew Jones was surprised last month to see a vehicle – normally deemed too old – allowed to be used by a licensee for a further three months when he was refused the exact same request.
Mr Jones forked out £18,000 on a replacement vehicle in order to fulfil the school contract he has with the council due to it being more than 10 years old.
He currently operates vehicles doing school runs from St Madoes to Oakbank Primary and Almondbank to Bertha Park High.
Perth and Kinross Council’s policy states a taxi or private hire car must be no older than 10 years from the date of first registration before being replaced.
‘What’s the difference between her and me?’
The licensing committee recently voted to waive the policy while a driver awaited the arrival of her new vehicle.
Councillors voted by seven votes to four to grant a three-month extension for Kathleen Dyke’s 10-year-old vehicle.
But in January, Mr Jones – who is the operator not the driver – had his application for a three-month extension to the age limit refused.
He said: “What’s the difference between her and me?
“My car was not used as a taxi as such but for school contracts only.”
‘They live in the dark ages’
Mr Jones’ six-seater Volkswagen Touran car was due to be replaced in March 2023 as it was ten years old from first registration.
He sought to extend the ten-year age limit until the end of June 2023 to fulfil his school contract with PKC.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It had passed its MOT and had a low mileage.”
He described Perth and Kinross Licensing Committee’s decision-making process as both “amateurish” and “strange”.
He added: “They live in the dark ages. It’s absolutely disgusting how they handle cases.”
When Mr Jones made legal enquiries about appealing the decision he discovered it would cost him £2,000. He decided not to pursue an appeal and instead bought a replacement vehicle.
A PKC spokesperson said: “The licensing committee will determine applications and licensing decisions based on the details specific to each application and in accordance with its policies.”
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