Driver training

Driver training is an important part of the application process in determining a person as 'fit and proper' for the role of licensed taxi driver.

Amber Valley Borough Council stipulates the following training elements are to be completed prior to the issue of a driver’s licence.

• Safeguarding training
• Disability awareness training
• A knowledge test

Applicants can either;

1. Submit their training certificates with their application or
2. Submit their certificates following their application allowing for their DBS, DVLA and NR3 checks to be conducted first.

However, irrespective of which route is taken no driver’s licence will be determined and issued until the required training certificates have been received by the licensing authority.

Provisions have been made with Blue Lamp Trust for approved courses enabling applicants to undertake their training and receive their certificates.

Safeguarding training

Applicants must attend a training course entitled "Safeguarding Vulnerable People in Partnership with the Transport Sector". This training must be undertaken before a licence will be determined.

Attendance will be excused on the production of a Safeguarding Training Certificate undertaken with another authority in the previous 12 months.

This training must be retaken every three years or upon renewal of a licence.

Course content

The course aims to provide hackney carriage and private hire drivers with a knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, their responsibilities and best practice protocols. On completion of the course you will be able to:

• Understand what is meant by the term 'safeguarding'
• Identify adults at risk and other vulnerable people
• Understand what is meant by child sexual and criminal exploitation, human trafficking, modern slavery and domestic abuse
• Recognise types of abuse, associated signs and indicators
• Identify suspicious activities
• Know how, and the whom, they can report concerns
• Understand their safeguarding responsibilities and best practice protocols

Course type

Initial grant - applicants are required to undertake this training as a 'virtual classroom' style course lasting approximately 2.5 hours.

Renewals - applicants are able to undertake take this training as an e-learning course lasting approximately 1.5 hours. The e-learning course can be taken for no more than two consecutive renewal periods, before being required to be undertaken as a 'virtual classroom' course.

Course cost

Virtual classroom £25 including VAT.

E-learning course £12 including VAT.

Booking

Please use the below link to Blue Lamp Trust’s website to book and pay for your course.

• www.bluelamptrust.org.uk/safeguarding

Disability Awareness Training

The Equality Act 2010 imposes a duty on those who provide transport services to make reasonable adjustments to provide such services for anyone with a disability. This duty specifically extends to those driving taxis and PHV’s. All drivers must take the council’s disability awareness training course before an application will be determined.

It is a requirement of the council’s 'fit and proper person' test to complete this training.

Course content

The course aims to provide Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers with a knowledge and understanding of disabilities, their responsibilities and best practice protocols to provide safe and secure transport to all passengers. The candidate will be able to:

• Understand what is meant by the term disability
• Understand the law and legal requirements around disability
• Understand different types of disability
• Understand how to load and secure passengers and wheelchairs
• Understand best practice when interacting with a disabled passenger
• Understand the regulations about assistance dogs
• Understand their duty of care responsibilities and best practice protocols
• Learning will be consolidated via knowledge check questions throughout the course.

Course type

The course is virtual classroom style course lasting approximately 3 hours.

Course cost

£40 including VAT.

Booking

Please use the below link to Blue Lamp Trust’s website to book and pay for your course.

• www.bluelamptrust.org.uk/disability-classroom-course

Knowledge test

All applicants are required to undertake a test as to their knowledge of:

• Local geography
• The Highway Code
• Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Law
• The council’s taxi policy
• Basic minimum standards of the English language

The contents of the knowledge test may be amended at any time in line with any changes in legislation or best practice.

Currently the knowledge test is conducted online. The test consists of 50 questions overall, broken down as follows:

• Geography – 20 questions
• Council policy and licensing law – 15 questions
• Highway Code – 15 questions

To pass the test you must achieve an 80% pass rate for each section. If a section is not passed, then the test is failed regardless of your scores in the other sections.

You are allowed 90 minutes to complete the test, a countdown clock is provided on the screen so you can keep track of how long you have left.

The online system will allow you to re-do questions as many times as you wish and will also provide you with an instant result as well as the details of which questions were answered correctly, and which were failed

No one can accompany you whilst you complete the knowledge test. No mobile phone, electronic device, documentation, or road maps are to be used whilst completing the test.

If you fail the test at the first attempt, then you may retake the test. A non-refundable fee will be paid per test undertaken and / or retaken. No more than three tests may be taken within a 3-month period.

For further details please use the below contact details:

Licensing Section
Amber Valley Borough Council
Town Hall
Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3BT

Telephone: 01773 570222
Email: licensing@ambervalley.gov.uk

Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email licensing@ambervalley.gov.uk