You may well ask. Most people will be shocked to discover that in the London area, just 23 limousines have been registered with the Public Carriage Office (PCO) for private hire. 23 limousines, shared amongst, perhaps, 6 or 7 companies. This shocking figure is made all the worst when you consider that the Government changed the legislation in January 2008 to require all companies offering 'chauffeur driven' limousines to be registered either with the PCO or VOSA, as a bus operator. So is the Government doing anything about this....well no, apparantly!

In fact, as a result of the change in legislation, many limo companies that had previously been registered for private hire with the PCO, have actually de-registered, so much for the public safety issues. You may well ask why these companies do not want to be registered, it is a fair question and certainly one that should be asked before anyone considers hiring a limousine from a London based limo company.

Of course London based companies that do not register their vehicles for private hire with the Public Carriage Office will not have to subject their limousines to regular stringent safety checks, they will not be required to keep records in respect of hires, maintenance and so on. In fact, they will not be subject to any regulation, as would be the case if they were registered for private hire. Worst still, there will be no requirement for the "chauffeurs" to have a PCO licence, this means that you cannot be certain that the chauffeurs have been subjected to a strict medical or a Criminal Records Bureau check. So, in many cases, people getting into the back of a limo will potentially face exactly the same risks as those getting into an unlicensed minicab. This state of affairs is shocking.

Of course the PCO cannot do much, because they can't force people to register, nor can they stop people de-registering. All they can do is routine checks in the hope that they can catch people in the act. The Police don't seem to understand the rules, or maybe it is just easier to issue fixed penalty notices for parking infringements. The Government needs to make a stand, but as usual, they are doing nothing. You safety will not matter one jot to the Governement unless or until someone gets attached and the publicity gets too much. As usual the public are expected to take the risks whilst ministers waste our money on new green initiatives, because we must care about the planet, but not about peoples safety, or perhaps it is just that there is more money to be gained from green initiatives.

The bottom line is the Governement is currently doing nothing, it is your safety that is at risk and these limo operators are continuing to trade with apparant impunity. There will shortly be a London election, perhaps now is the time to register your feelings!

So stay safe, don't take the unecessary risk of hiring an unlicensed limo in London, search for licensed limousines companies or go to the PCO website to find out who is registered in your area.