Taxi drivers can now go back to the usual procedure of medicals and MOTs as temporary Covid-19 restrictions are lifted by the licensing committee.

It was agreed on Tuesday, September 15 variations to the licensing team’s normal methods to processing applications for licences for taxi drivers and vehicles made by the council’s urgency committee in May be reversed.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s heard that it was now possible for medical certificates to be obtained from their GP and interim MOTs could be carried out at the authority’s garage at Thornton.

Full MOT tests on hackney carriages and private hire vehicles continued to be carried out at the Thornton site during lock down.

The requirement for a GP certificate stating a fitness to drive, and including sight of a full medical history, and the display of a drivers’ badge, which were not able to be provided during lockdown, were temporarily removed.

Licensing officer Charlotte Mathias said there had been around 30 new vehicles plated since June but added it was not an “upsurge” in response to a question from Clr. David Pugh.

Clr. Reg Owen added he though it important that full and interim MOTs be carried out at thee council garage for “consistency in the safety checks” which Mrs. Mathias agreed with, saying only in exceptional circumstances would another garage be permitted to carry them out.