Audio and Visual Recording Equipment in Licensed Vehicles (Scheme not yet in operation)

On 1st March 2011, the General Purposes Licensing Committee approved the implementation of an Audio and Visual Recording Equipment Scheme for vehicles licensed by Oxford City Council. All Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles licensed for the the first time from (T.B.A.) are required to be fitted with an Audio and Visual Recording Equipment system. All vehicles licensed prior to (T.B.A.) must have such a system fitted no later than (T.B.A.).
 
Private Hire Vehicles that carry out "contracted account work" (executive chauffeur service) and have been issued with an Exemption Notice in accordance with S75(3) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 by the Licensing Authority are not required to be fitted with such systems (as determined by the General Purposes Licensing Committee on 22nd February 2012).

Listed below is a summary of what was agreed, the timescale for the scheme, and the eligibility criteria for financial assistance with the reimbursement of fitting costs.

i) Audio and Visual Recording Equipment will be a mandatory requirement for all Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles licensed for the first time by this Authority from (T.B.A.).

ii) Audio and Visual Recording Equipment will be a mandatory requirement for all Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles licensed by this Authority prior to (T.B.A.), allowing until (T.B.A.) for the equipment to be fitted to the vehicle.

iii) Any vehicle proprietor who holds a licence prior to (T.B.A.) and will have a licence in force after this date, will be eligible to apply for reimbursement of a maximum of £100 towards the fitting costs of Audio and Visual Recording Equipment to the vehicle (upon proof of receipt of payment for the fitting of the Audio and Visual Recording Equipment), restricted to no more than one payment per licensed vehicle.

iv) Any Audio and Visual Recording Equipment system fitted to any licensed vehicle must comply with the criteria laid out in the Minimum Standard Specification for Audio and Visual Recording Equipment installed in licensed vehicles:

Audio and Visual Recording Equipment Minimum Standard Specification (11kB PDF)

v) Upon the fitting of Audio and Visual Recording Equipment to any Private Hire vehicle licensed from 1st April 2011, there shall be no requirement for the need to replace the standard manufactured rear side window or rear windscreen of the vehicle.

vi) Upon the fitting of Audio and Visual Recording Equipment to any Hackney Carriage, advertisements shall be permitted to be displayed on a screen placed behind the driver, on the partition of the Hackney Carriage. Guidelines relating to Hackney Carriage Advertisements are incorporated within the criteria and regulations pertaining to Hackney Carriages licensed by this Authority and are included in the Vehicle Application Pack.

Page last reviewed 4 April 2012