Hackney Carriage Information

Byelaws

In addition to the licence conditions, the Hackney Carriage byelaws must be complied with.

Standard Conditions

The following standard conditions are attached to the issue of a Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence in the Ribble Valley.

1. FEES

Fees apply for each of the following:

• Vehicle Licence Application
• Change of Vehicle Licence Application
• Transfer of Vehicle Application
• Replacement Plates  
• Driver's Application
• Replacement Badge
• Plate
• Bracket

See detailed Hackney Carriage licence fees.

2. DURATION OF VEHICLE LICENCES

Depending upon the age of the vehicle,4, 6 or 12 months.

3. KNOWLEDGE TEST

All private hire drivers are required to take and pass a knowledge test of the area before being issued with a full badge and licence. This could be either a written or mobile test in their vehicle; and the applicant must ring the Council Staff to make a convenient appointment. He/she is allowed no more than 4 attempts to pass the test.

4. DURATION OF DRIVER'S LICENCE

Full drivers badges and licences shall be valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

5. OTHER REQUIREMENTS WITH APPLICATIONS

Vehicle Licence Application

All applications should be accompanied by the correct fee, vehicle registration document or in the case of a recently purchased new vehicle, satisfactory evidence of the purchase showing the vehicle's registration number, certificate of insurance covering the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, MOT certificate (where applicable) and a satisfactory Test Certificate carried out by this Council's Vehicle Tester.

Driver's Application

All applications should be accompanied by the correct fee, two passport size photographs of applicant, driving licence (not being a provisional licence) showing that the applicant has attained the age of 21 years and has been a holder of that licence for a minimum of 12 months immediately prior to the application, a satisfactory medical certificate (for new applicants, where the previous medical certificate was over five years ago and with every application for applicants over 65 years of age. The only exception to this requirement is if the applicant can provide a current PCV driver's licence). Applicants must ensure that their driving licence shows their current address. A Criminal Records Bureau check is essential.

6. VEHICLE EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

The vehicle shall be submitted for inspection, at the Council's authorised Vehicle Tester, immediately prior to the initial or renewal application.

The only departure from the necessity to submit a vehicle for inspection, is if the vehicle is new.

The vehicle shall be submitted for inspection at any other time at the Authority's discretion and when submitted for inspection, the vehicle shall be in complete and thoroughly good condition and the engine, chassis, body, wheels, fittings, furniture and all parts must be in good repair and order, all steering parts and braking linkages must be thoroughly cleaned. This will be required following any accident.

7. DRIVER'S AGES

Applicants must have attained the age of 21 years and for the twelve months immediately prior to the application either: have been the holder of a licence (not being a provisional licence) granted under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988; or be authorised by virtue of Section 99 A(i) or section 109(i) of that Act to drive in Great Britain a motor car.

8. UNAUTHORISED/UNINSURED DRIVERS

No person being the proprietor of a Hackney Carriage shall employ as a driver thereof any person who does not have a current driver's licence and a current Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence nor allow any driver to drive the vehicle whilst not being insured sufficiently to protect passengers in the event of claims for death or bodily injury.

No person being unauthorised or uninsured shall drive a Hackney Carriage. No driver of a Hackney Carriage shall permit an unauthorised person to drive the vehicle nor allow the vehicle to be driven by an uninsured driver.

9. LICENCE CONDITIONS

On licensing a hackney carriage vehicle you will receive a copy of the current Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence Conditions and attention is drawn to all Conditions and items included in this Guidance, as contraventions of such may result in suspension or revocation of your Licences.

The driver shall at all times when driving a Hackney Carriage, carry with him/her a copy of these Conditions and shall make it available for inspection by the hirer or any other passenger on request.

10. HACKNEY CARRIAGE BYELAWS AND STANDARD CONDITIONS

A copy of the Hackney Carriage Byelaws is attached. Attention is drawn to byelaws, for every person who shall offend against any of them shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding five pounds for each day during which the offence continues after conviction thereof.

The driver shall at all times when driving a Hackney Carriage, carry with him a copy of the Hackney Carriage Byelaws and shall make it available for inspection by the hirer or any other passenger on request.

The driver shall at all times when driving a Hackney Carriage, carry with him a copy of the Hackney Carriage Standard Conditions and shall make it available for inspection by the hirer or any other passenger on request.

11. STATEMENT OF FARES

The proprietor/driver of a Hackney Carriage shall cause the statement of fares, in the form issued by the Council, to be exhibited at all times inside the carriage and to be fitted and maintained in such a position so as to be clearly visible at all times to the hirer.

12. PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS

Driver's application forms require applicants to disclose details of previous convictions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, provides that after a certain lapse of time, convictions for criminal offences are to be regarded as spent.

13. DEPOSIT OF DRIVER'S LICENCES

Section 48 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 requires Hackney Carriage Proprietors to obtain and retain custody of the Hackney Carriage Licences of the drivers they employ. This should be done without exception by proprietors.

14. NUMBERS OF PASSENGERS

Section 51 and 52 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and this Council's Byelaws provide that the permitted maximum number of passengers is marked on plates both inside and outside your Hackney Carriage vehicle. The carriage of a greater number of passengers is prohibited.

15. IDENTIFICATION OF DRIVERS

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall at all times, whilst in the course of his/her duty, wear his/her Hackney Carriage Driver's Badge in such a position and manner as to be plainly visible and this badge must be shown, if required, to the hirer of the vehicle and to any authorised officer of the Council or police officer for the purpose of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

16. DRIVER'S BADGE

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall, when required to do so by an authorised officer of the Council, return the driver's badge and licence to the Council and obtain a receipt for it. The driver shall, upon the expiry (without immediate renewal), revocation or suspension of this licence, forthwith return the driver's badge to the Council and obtain a receipt for same.

17. USE OF TAXIMETER

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall make use of the taximeter as follows:-

a) As soon as the hirer commences his/her journey, bring the machinery of the taximeter into action, and

b) cause the dial of the taximeter to be kept properly illuminated throughout any part of a hiring which is during the hours of darkness as defined for the purposes of the Road Transport Lighting Act 1957 and also at any other time at the request of the hirer, and

c) the driver shall not cause the fare recorded thereon to be cancelled or concealed until the hirer has had a reasonable opportunity of examining it and has paid the fare (unless credit is to be given).

18. INTERFERENCE WITH EQUIPMENT

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall not tamper with or permit any person to tamper with, any taximeter with which the vehicle is provided, with the fittings thereof, or with the seals affixed thereto, nor with any other equipment attached to or forming part of the vehicle.

19. ADVERTISEMENTS ETC

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall not place or suffer to be placed any printed written or other matter by way of advertisement on any part of the vehicle without consent of the Authority.

20. PROMPT ATTENDANCE

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall, if he/she is aware that the vehicle has been hired to be in attendance at an appointed time and place, or he/she has otherwise been instructed by the operator or proprietor of the vehicle to be in attendance at an appointed time and place, punctually attended at that appointed time and place unless delayed or prevented by sufficient cause.

 21. SHORTEST ROUTE

The driver of a Hackney Carriage when hired to drive to a particular destination, shall, subject to any directions given by the hirer, proceed to that destination by the shortest available route.

22. ASSISTANCE WITH LUGGAGE

The driver of a Hackney Carriage so constructed as to carry luggage shall, when requested by any person hiring or seeking to hire the vehicle:

a) Convey a resonable quantity of luggage.

b) Afford reasonable assistance with loading or unloading.

c) Afford, reasonable assistance in removing it to or from the entrance of any building, station or place at which he/she may take up or set down such a person.

23. LOST PROPERTY

The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall, immediately after the termination of any hiring or as soon as practicable thereafter, carefully search the vehicle for any property which may have been accidentally left therein. The driver of a Hackney Carriage shall, if any property accidentally left therein by any person who may have been conveyed in the vehicle, be found by or handed to him/her carry it as soon as possible and in any event within 48 hours if not sooner claimed by or on behalf of its owner, to a Police Station within the district where he/she should report it to the officer in charge of the station.

24. CONVICTIONS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE LICENCE

The driver shall, within seven days disclose to the Council, in writing, details of any convictions imposed on him/her during the period of the licence.

25. CHANGE OF ADDRESS/ CHANGE OF EMPLOYMENT

The driver shall notify the Council, in writing, of any change of his/her address during the period of his/her licence, within seven days of such change taking place.

The driver shall notify the Council within seven days of starting or terminating employment, the name and address of the proprietor and the date when the employment either sdtarted or ended.

26. CONDUCT AS DRIVER

The driver shall:

a) At all times be clean and respectable in his/her dress and person and behave in a civil and orderly manner;

b) Ensure that the vehicle driven by him/her is kept in clean and tidy condition;

c) Take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of passengers conveyed in, entering or alighting from the vehicle driven by him/her;

d) Not without the express consent of the hirer, eat or drink in the vehicle;

e) Not at any time smoke inside the vehicle or permit any passenger to smoke inside the vehicle;

f) Not at any time use a non-hands free mobile phone whilst driving;

g) Not without the express consent of the hirer, play any radio or sound reproducing instrument or equipment in the vehicle, other than for the purpose of sending or receiving messages in connection with the operation of the vehicle;

h) At no time cause or permit the noise emitted by any radio or other equipment in the vehicle which he/she is driving, to be a source of nuisance or annoyance to any person, whether inside or outside the vehicle.

27. WRITTEN RECEIPTS

The driver shall, if requested by the hirer of a Hackney Carriage, provide him/her with a written receipt for the fare paid.

28. ANIMALS

The driver shall not convey in a Hackney Carriage any animal belonging to or in the custody of himself or the proprietor of the vehicle.

Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs must be carried in Hackney Carriage Vehicles. The dog must be allowed to remain with the passenger in the front passenger seat. Drivers can seek exemptions from these duties on medical grounds only. Failure to comply will result upon conviction of a fine currently up to £1000.00

Any animal carried must be safely restrained by the accompanying passenger.

29. HEALTH OF DRIVER

a) A Medical Certificate signed by a registered Medical Practitioner, shall be produced at the time of the initial application. Persons over the age of 60 years may be asked to submit themselves for examination by a Medical Practitioner nominated by the Council, the costs of such examinations to be met by the applicant. Those drivers 65 and over will be subject to an annual medical examination.

b) The driver of a Hackney Carriage Vehicle must inform the Council, without delay, about the onset of worsening of any health condition likely to cause him/her to be a source of danger to the public, when driving either now or in the future. Examples are giddiness, fainting, black-outs, epilepsy, strokes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, heart disease, angina, coronaries, high blood pressure, arthritis, disorder of vision, mental illness, alcoholism, drug taking and the loss of a limb or use of a limb. THIS LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE DISABILITIES THAT MUST BE REPORTED. THESE EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN ONLY TO INDICATE THE TYPES OF DISABILITIES. Temporary conditions, other than recurrent ones, not expected to last more than three month, need to be reported. Drivers who are in doubt about whether or not their health condition is one which should be reported should consult their doctor.

30. ACCIDENT TO VEHICLE

The driver of a hackney carriage shall report to the Council as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within 72 hours of the occurrence thereof, any accident to such Hackney Carriage vehicle causing damage which materially affects the safety, performance or appearance of the vehicle or the comfort or convenience of persons carried therein. Compliance with this condition does not exempt the driver from his statutory liability to report all accidents to the police.

31. RENEWAL OF LICENCES

When applying to renew a licence or to change a vehicle licence, you must submit a completed application form with valid Vehicle Test Certificate and MOT Certificate, plus proof of insurance cover. All licences must be renewed on or before the due date.

32. HACKNEY CARRIAGE PLATES

The plates designed and supplied by the Council must be securely fixed to the vehicle using the approved bracket. The driver of a hackney carriage shall not wilfully or negligently cause or suffer any licence plate to be concealed from public view at any time.

Vehicle Licence plates must remain on the vehicle AT ALL TIMES (including when the vehicle is not in use) and should not be removed unless by an authorised officer of the Council or by the police.

Badges cannot be issed on demand - please allow at least 14 working days for either the grant of a licence or a renewal.

Any reference to or any summary of a statutory provision in the above Standard Conditions, is neither authoritative nor exhaustive.