Taxis and private hire Installation of safety screens in Private Hire vehicles and the replacement in Hackney Carriage vehicles policy

1. This policy applies to private hire vehicles (referred to in this policy as “vehicles”).
2. The City Council will maintain a list of approved safety screens and their manufacturers / suppliers, which it has approved for installation of safety screens / partitions in vehicles in accordance with this policy.  Any individual may apply for any type of safety screen to be placed on the approved list, however only those safety screens which can provide evidence of testing to the relevant EU standard and approval by MIRA (MIRA is recognised as a leading independent product engineering, testing, consultancy and certification organisation) or other comparable independent product engineering, testing, consultancy and certification organisation] are likely to be accepted.
3. With effect from 7 April 2010, vehicle proprietors may, upon application for a new licence or for renewal of a current licence, as part of that application, request to install a safety screen, which appears on the City Council’s approved list.
4. Upon successful application for installation, such vehicle licences will be subject to additional conditions to ensure that such safety screens are appropriately installed and maintained so as not to interfere with the safety and comfort of passengers, as well as ensuring the integrity of the vehicle structure.
5. This policy details the minimum criteria that will normally be expected to be met, before a safety screen will be placed on the City Council’s approved list.
6. This policy should be read in conjunction with the attached guidance notes, which outline the application procedure, to be followed by an individual or organisation that wishes to obtain approval for a safety screen, as well as from proprietors who wish to install such screens in their vehicles.
7. Whilst each case will be determined on its own merits the Council will normally only place on its approved list safety screens which meet or exceed the minimum criteria contained in this policy.

Application process for a safety screen

1. Any individual who wishes to apply to the City Council for the approval of a Safety Screen must apply in writing to the Council for a particular make and model to be placed on the approved list.
2. The applicant must provide written evidence that the product complies with the Council’s minimum recommended specification.
3. Once the safety screen has been approved, the Council will issue the applicant and the manufacturer (where the manufacturer is not also the applicant) written confirmation, and place the safety screen on the approved list.  If the safety screen is not approved the Council will issue the applicant notification of the same and the reasons for the decision.
4. Each approved system will be given a unique identification number, which must be quoted on an application for permission to install a safety screen in a vehicle.
5. System approval will be required for each new product or any modification to an existing approved product.