TAXI and minicab drivers face an English test in a bid to weed out drivers who speak too little of the language to take passengers to where they want to go.

The test proposal follows complaints from passengers that drivers from the new European Union countries, mainly in Eastern Europe, don't speak enough English or follow UK road rules.

Under the new rules to be considered by the council's private hire and hackney carriage licensing subcommittee tomorrow, drivers would face an interview where examiners would decide whether they needed to complete a basic spoken and written English test.

Would-be drivers will have to read out a page from the taxi handbook then explain what it means to the examiners.

Cabinet member for transport Peter Greenhalgh said drivers from all backgrounds would have to pass, and that it is possible UK English speakers could fail.

"We wouldn't do this just because of where somebody comes from," Coun Greenhalgh (Con, Freshbrook and Grange Park) said. "We aren't going to single anyone out."

He said taxis and minicabs in Swindon were "generally pretty good" but the council still received an average three to four complaints a week.

He said the complaints included the driver not understanding the passengers' accents as well as the other way around.

Swindon Racial Equality Council president Coun Steve Allsopp said there needed to be safeguards included in the test to make sure they were fair and objective.

"It needs to be at a level that applicable and doesn't indirectly discriminate," Coun Allsopp (Labour, Parks) said.

"If they aren't able to understand the directions of customers we would support that.

"But we don't want people unfairly discriminated against.

"It needs to be objective with the standard clearly set."

The tests could start as early as January 1. Prior to taking the local knowledge test, would-be drivers "will be required to attend an interview at which there will be an appraisal of his or her spoken English, English comprehension, a test of reading, basic written English and basic mathematics", the report says.

"Drivers not reaching a satisfactory level will be refused a licence."

The review has been prompted by the new age discrimination laws that mean the council can no longer restrict licences to drivers over 24-years-old.

The council proposal would replace the age limit with the requirement to hold a full driving licence for three years before being allowed behind the wheel of a minicab or taxi and introduce tougher rules for non-British drivers.

The report says: "In recent times there has been an influx of drivers from newly-elected members of the European Economic Community and although they have held full driving licences in their home country for over 12 months, it is clear from the number of comments and complaints received that their unfamiliarity with English road systems and signs, and unfamiliarity with driving on the left-hand side of the road, may be causing them initial difficulty."

Taxi and minicab drivers and operators have mixed feelings about the proposal. Minicab operator V Cars director John Gardner questioned why the council was targeting new arrivals. "We welcome any moves to ensure that all Swindon's taxi drivers are good drivers as well as able to read and write English and do basic maths, though it does seem slightly odd to single out people from newly-elected members of the EU," he said. "Our rule of thumb is that all V Cars drivers, whether British or from anywhere abroad, must be good drivers, courteous, smart, clean, communicative and helpful. We train all our new drivers, and any that apply to work for us from abroad are interviewed to make sure their English is very good before undergoing three weeks of physical driving instruction in the UK and training in local knowledge and customer care." Black cab driver and taxi working group member Tony Johnson said the new tests were long overdue. He said minicab drivers not being able to speak English was causing aggravation, particularly among intoxicated passengers. Mr Johnson said he knew of instances where non-English speaking drivers had missed whole villages because of poor local knowledge and communication. If existing minicab drivers had to sit the English test "we'd get a 90 per cent failure rate", he said.
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/