The company responsible for licensing and regulating London’s taxi and private hire services has announced its new premises which will be officially opened in March 2010.

SGS will be opening the new inspection centre which is located in Belvedere, and promises to be larger and incorporates an additional inspection lane. Increased parking facilities will also be available and the one-way single lane testing facility will improve vehicle flow.

An application for the Belvedere site to become a VOSA approved MOT testing station is underway and due to be approved in April. Once approved, the site will be able to undertake mechanical unfit compliance inspections for private hire vehicles.

Jan Saunders from SGS recently spoke to the private hire industry at the Licensed Private Hire and Car Association Annual General Meeting in October last year, and spoke about the advantages of the brand-new purpose built facilities.

Some members of the audience spoke out about their frustrations about the location of the new centre as well as other issues such as bookings inspections and the current phone system. At the same meeting, Public Carriage Office boss John Mason urged SGS to improve the quality of the service and lower costs as the contract will be available for tender in 2013.

A map showing the location of the new centre will be sent out to all vehicle owners who have been allocated a licensing inspection at Belvedere. The map will also be on display at all other PHV inspection centres throughout the city.