Bedford Council rejects call to remove PHV roof lights on ‘safety’ grounds

Bedford Borough Council has rejected calls to do away with roof sign requirements for private vehicles, claiming they were a “community safety issue”.

In the town, hackney taxis have yellow lights while PHVs have green ones. But David Masih, owner of local private hire firm Ezee Cabs, told the council’s general licensing committee that having any signs on PHVs was contrary to Department for Transport policy. 

He told the committee that the updated DfT rules state: “Licensing authorities should not permit roof signs of any kind on private hire vehicles. Regardless of the wording required on such a sign it is likely to increase awareness of the vehicle and the likelihood of being mistaken for a taxi.”

Masih said: “Having an illuminated sign on taxis and prohibiting them from private hire vehicles will provide a simple way for the public to differentiate between the two services. It seems roof signs are more of a costly hindrance and of almost no benefit to the ride users.”

But Gillian Anderson, manager for service application, said: “My view remains that the roof signs are a community safety issue and they do help. vehicles be identified. They enable members of the public to identify a private hire vehicle if they wish to make a complaint.”