Highland private hire drivers could face knowledge tests

Taxi drivers are tested on their knowledge of their local area, such as Inverness, and the wider Highland region

Hundreds of private hire drivers in the Highlands could be tested on how well they know streets and places in their local area and the wider region.

Taxi drivers are required to sit the two-part exam as part of their licence.

The pass mark for knowledge of a local area is 85% and 75% for the Highland section, and drivers are allowed three attempts to pass both parts.

Highland licensing committee is due to consider the results of a public consultation on the introduction of testing private hire drivers.

The main difference between the drivers is that a taxi can be hired on the spot in a street, while private hires have to be pre-booked.

Eight of Scotland's 32 local authorities require both taxi and private hire drivers to take knowledge tests, according to a report to next week's committee meeting.

The other authorities are Aberdeen, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

There are 345 licensed private hire car drivers across the Highland Council area.

Inverness was the area where the highest number of licence applications were processed - 190, followed by 34 in Golspie and 30 in Wick.

The licensing committee got 44 responses to its consultation, with 52% received from taxi drivers, 13% from private hire drivers and 25% from members of the public.

Of the respondents, 70% said they supported the introduction of the tests for private hire drivers.