New guidelines aimed at improving controls on safety and licensing of party limousines were issued yesterday.
New guidelines aimed at improving controls on safety and licensing of party limousines were issued yesterday.
The Department for Transport advice details safety, registration and licensing requirements that need to be met in vehicles with more than eight passenger seats.
The guidance also advises operators to make sure their vehicles comply with regulations on weight, dimensions, turning circle, seating, brakes, tyres, doors, lamps and reflectors and glazing.
There has been concern from parents over the "confusion" surrounding licensing limos, which are a must-have for hen parties and school proms.
But the industry body says the new guidance, which is a voluntary code, does not go far enough.
The DfT admits that local authorities can opt out of licensing, despite their recommendations to the contrary.
In June this year, the tough new safety inspection regime on new vehicles will replace the old system where owners of large limousines "self-declared" that they met the required standards.
The National Limousine and Chauffeur Association (NLCA) said that the guidelines do not replace the need for legislation to better regulate their industry.
It is calling on the government to bring in a new licence specifically for limousines which would improve safety controls on the industry. It also says there should be a separate driving test and registration system for limos.
Bill Bowling, legislation officer for the NLCA said: "The sooner they put restrictions and checks in place, the safer your family will be in the vehicle.
"The problem is that through England, Scotland and Wales there are some 400 local authorities each with their own set of rules.
"There is no semblance of order or continuity through any of them and this is where the problem arises."
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, which wrote to all Scottish councils two years ago calling for compulsory licensing, said the guidelines, if adopted by the limo industry, would improve road safety.
The number of limousines on our roads has tripled over the past five years to around 15,000, of which around 4000 can carry more than eight.
But the majority of the vehicles come from the US, where different safety laws apply, and the DfT admits that some of the limos registered in the UK do not meet British standards.
Under licensing laws, limousines are not permitted to carry any more than eight paying passengers in the UK.
Vehicles that carry more are classified as passenger-carrying vehicles (PCVs), and like a bus require a PCV licence - issued in Scotland by the traffic commissioner for Scotland. They also must carry a Certificate of Initial Fitness issued.
The new pre-registration check would ensure vehicles with more than eight passenger seats without a certificate cannot be registered without meeting required safety and environmental standards. The check will be carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
The agency has in the past refused to recognise stretch limos as PCVs, arguing they do not fulfil the stringent vehicle-safety standards required.
In Scotland, hire vehicles carrying up to eight people can be licensed by local authorities in a similar way to taxis and private hire cabs.
But the Scottish Government says that it is not compulsory and it remains up to individual local authorities.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "The popularity of stretched limousines has soared and we are determined to ensure that they are used safely."
