The Licensing and Public Safety Committee of Leicester Council met on Tuesday 7 July 2026. The meeting's agenda included a report on the approval of a new vehicle for a Hackney Carriage Licence.

Approval of a New Vehicle for a Hackney Carriage Licence - Ford MAXIcab

A report was submitted for consideration regarding the approval of the Ford MAXIcab for licensing as a Hackney Carriage. The manufacturer, Allied Vehicles, has requested that the vehicle be licensed by Leicester City Council, which would offer an increased choice of vehicles for the city's hackney trade.

The Ford MAXIcab has been put forward by Allied Vehicles and is not fully compliant with the current Conditions of Fitness for Hackney Carriages. Specifically, the vehicle's overall width of 2.032mm exceeds the maximum specified width of 1.845mm, and its overall length of 5.050mm exceeds the maximum length of 5 metres. The manufacturer's representative was scheduled to address these deviations from the Conditions of Fitness at the meeting.

The report noted that the vehicle has a GB whole vehicle type-approval number, g11*2018/858*00851*00. The vehicle was inspected by the Council's Vehicle Testing Station, where its width, excluding mirrors, was measured at 1.885mm.

The Ford MAXIcab is available with three powertrain options: a Euro 6 diesel engine, a plug-in hybrid, and a fully electric version. All models share the same dimensions and features. The report highlighted that the wheelchair passenger faces forward throughout the journey when correctly loaded and secured in the MAXIcab.

The report also mentioned that the current list of approved hackney carriages was last updated approximately eight years ago, with some models now unavailable or unsuitable. The Ford MAXIcab is reportedly licensed by a number of other local authorities across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The report included an assessment of the vehicle against the Council's 'Conditions of fitness and directions – Hackney Carriages', which were revised on 27 July 2017. The report recommended that the Ford MAXIcab be approved for licensing as a hackney carriage, provided that the committee accepts that the benefits of licensing outweigh the outlined disadvantages.

The report also touched upon financial, legal, equalities, and climate emergency implications. There were no direct financial implications. Legally, Section 47 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 allows district councils to attach conditions to hackney carriage licences. The report stated that the Equality Act 2010 places obligations on taxi operators regarding wheelchair accessibility and service to disabled passengers, and that a diverse fleet of compliant wheelchair accessible taxis can improve service availability. From a climate emergency perspective, licensing the MAXIcab, with its hybrid and electric options, could contribute to reducing emissions and improving air quality.