Second testing centre for taxis and private hire vehicles to open

Council leaders have confirmed that a second testing centre for taxis and private hire vehicles will open later this year.

They have just awarded the contract to Sunnybank Service Station and the new centre will be open for business from 1 April.

This second station will complement the existing testing centre run by the council at Bradley Fold.

In Bury, there are 38 Hackney carriages (taxis, or ‘black cabs’) and 745 private hire vehicles, all of which require two tests a year to ensure they are in good condition – this equates to 1,566 tests annually.

Councillor Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for culture and the economy, said: “This will be warmly welcomed by drivers and operators in Bury, giving them a choice of stations to use when going for their twice-yearly tests.

“We’ve taken this action following extensive consultation with the trade and listening closely to the feedback provided by drivers. We promised last year we would do this, and now we have delivered on it.”

The council’s licensing section is writing to all drivers and operators informing them of the changes.

ENDS

Press release issued: 26 January 2022.

Picture: At the new taxi testing centre are (from left) Cllr Charlotte Morris; Cllr Tamoor Tariq, deputy council leader; Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, council leader; Andrew Cunane, Richard Hartley and Tracey Stockley of Sunnybank Service Station; and Cllr Sandra Walmsley, chair of the licensing and safety committee.