Agenda item

The Senior Licensing and Compliance Officer submitted a report which sought members’ approval to consider whether electric trishaws should, in principle, be licensed as hackney carriage vehicles.

The Senior Licensing Officer then went through the report, advising the application has come to panel as current conditions for Hackney Carriage Vehicles and Drivers are not tailored to Trishaws. The officer also explained that the Licensing Authority had been approached by a charitable organisation that wants to offer free and chargeable Trishaw rides in the Keswick area. The officer also clarified that the licence is required to enable the collection of a fee.

Members asked questions of the officer in relation to safety and the speeds of Trishaws, and expressed concerns that the introduction of Trishaws could create further traffic issues in the Keswick area. 

Councillor Lansbury entered the meeting.

Members then heard representations from Amy’s Care, the charitable organisation which had approached the Licensing Authority about the licensing of trishaws.

The representative from Amy’s Care provided members with a brief history of Trishaws and of Amy’s Care. She advised that the intention is to generate income from hiring out the Trishaws and that this money would be reinvested into the charity.

The representative went on to advise that Trishaws offer the opportunity for those with restricted mobility to experience the outdoors, advising that the Trishaws are able to accommodate wheelchair users.

In relation to the proposed route of the Trishaw, the representative advised that Amy’s Care has support from local businesses in relation to potential ‘Trishaw Stops’ and that a mobile phone app would be introduced to assist potential customers.

Members then asked questions of the representative. In response, the representative advised that no routes have been planned but reiterated the support from local businesses.  She also clarified that driver licences are not required to operate a Trishaw, and that all operators would be unpaid volunteers.

Debate ensued and members agreed that the idea was promising but had concerns over the potential for a number of Trishaw operators ascending on Keswick and other areas of Allerdale from outside the Borough.

In response to the points raised by members, the Senior Licensing and Compliance Officer clarified that conditions can be added to the Trishaw Licence and that all options and potential issued could be explored during a consultation period.

Councillor Smith then moved the motion to approve in principle the licensing of electric trishaws in the Allerdale area as hackney carriage vehicles; To agree a period of consultation to formulate pre-application requirements and conditions to be attached to the relevant licences, before the scheme could be implemented.

The Motion was seconded by Councillor Gaston.

A vote was taken on the motion to approve the recommendations, 8 voted in favour, 0 against and 0 abstentions.

Agreed

Members approved the officer’s recommendations as follows;

a) To approve in principle the licensing of electric trishaws in the Allerdale

area as hackney carriage vehicles;

b) To agree a period of consultation to formulate pre-application requirements and conditions to be attached to the relevant licences, before the scheme could be implemented.