DORSET Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Martyn Underhill has welcomed the government's decision to scrap a proposed new taxi licensing law which he believes would have put people at greater risk of sexual assault.

Mr Underhill previously voiced his concerns to West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin about a taxi element of the Deregulation Bill, but the clause has now been withdrawn by the government.

The clause would have allowed taxi drivers to use their vehicles for leisure purposes.

Only licensed private hire drivers can get behind the wheel of a marked private hire vehicle; drivers have to be regularly relicensed and there are restrictions on vehicles operating across local authority boundaries.

“I am delighted that after concerted PCC lobbying, the government has listened to our concerns and has backed down on clause ten of the Deregulation Bill which would have enabled people who don't hold a private hire vehicle license to drive one when it is off duty” explained Mr Underhill.

“This proposal had the potential to increase the number of unlicensed drivers pretending to be legitimate.”

Mr Underhill had lobbied the government, along with other PCCs across the country against the proposed change to the law.

“It has been a priority of mine to campaign on this issue as I could not back a bill which would have led to an increase in rogue taxi drivers, therefore putting passengers' safety at risk, both here in Dorset and across the country.

“People need to be sure that when they get into a marked private hire vehicle they know it's driven by a licensed operator, otherwise there is a great risk in people being raped and sexually assaulted after a night out.”

“The Government should also now review the two remaining taxi clauses in the Deregulation Bill, which would increase the length of driver licences and allow taxis to work out of area.”