Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy 2021 to 2026

1. Maintenance of vehicles

The vehicle and all its fitting and equipment shall at all times when the vehicle is in use or available for hire be kept in an exceptionally well-maintained condition and all relevant statutory requirements shall be fully complied with.

2. Alteration of vehicle

No material alteration or change in the specification, design, condition or appearance of the vehicle shall be made without the approval of the Council at any time while the licence is in force.

3. Safety equipment

There shall be provided and maintained in the vehicle at all times when it is in use or available for hire a suitable and efficient fire extinguisher and a suitable first aid kit containing appropriate first aid dressings and appliances. Such equipment to be carried in such a position in the vehicle as to be readily visible and available for immediate use in an emergency.

Where a ramp or ramps are used to facilitate access into the vehicle, they must be fitted/carried in the vehicle at all times and must be identified with the vehicle registration number.

4. Interior identification marking

The proprietor shall cause to be clearly displayed inside the vehicle in such a position as to be visible at all times to persons conveyed therein the internal comment card and at the top of each rear passenger door window a window sticker as supplied by the Council indicating the vehicle identification number and contact details for the Council.

5. Interior lighting

There shall be maintained in the vehicle adequate internal lighting to enable passengers to enter and leave the vehicle with safety.

6. Convictions

An annual basic DBS disclosure certificate is required for each proprietor/partner/director of a licensed vehicle unless they are already a licensed driver subject to bi-annual DBS enhanced disclosure checks.

The proprietor shall within seven days disclose to the Council in writing details of any convictions and/or caution imposed on them or, if the proprietor is a company or partnership, on any of the directors or partners during the period of the licence.

7. Change of address

The proprietor shall notify the Council in writing of any change of his address that appears on the licence during the period of the licence within seven days of such change taking place.

8. Identification plate

The plate, loaned by the Council, identifying the vehicle as a hackney carriage and required to be exhibited on the vehicle pursuant to the Byelaws With Respect To Hackney Carriages shall be securely fixed to the rear of the vehicle in a conspicuous position duly approved by the Council and in such manner, using the fixings supplied by the Council, unless the vehicle has a purpose built plate display/fixing location, so as to be easily removable by an Authorised Officer of the Council or a Constable.

9. Signs, notices etc.

No signs, notices, advertisements, video or audio display, plates, marks, numbers, letters, figures, symbols, emblems or devices whatsoever shall be displayed on, in or from the vehicle except as may be required by any statutory provision  (including Byelaws) or required or permitted by these conditions, provided however, that this condition shall not apply to any indication on a taxi meter fitted to the vehicle or to a sign, approved and located in accordance with the directions of the Council which is displayed in, on, or from the vehicle.

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the proprietor shall unless exempted in writing cause to be affixed and maintained on the outside of the vehicle:

• a door sign of such design and appearance as may be approved and supplied by the Council to be located on the nearside and offside front doors of the vehicle
• a roof sign displaying the word TAXI in letters of a minimum height of 79mm (standard vehicle number plate lettering) shall be fixed to the roof of the vehicle and shall be maintained and connected to the taxi meter and "for hire" sign and capable of being illuminated in such a manner as to indicate clearly to persons outside the vehicle whether or not the vehicle is for hire. The roof sign shall be of a minimum width of 60cms (24") except in the case of vehicles where the roof sign is incorporated into the design and structure of the vehicle
• a front identification sign as may be approved and supplied by the Council

Note: The use of magnetised signs is not permitted

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing condition any advertisement shall not be allowed or affixed without the prior approval of the Council and specifically shall not:

• be affixed to any window of the vehicle; and
• be affixed to any door or panel on which the roundel or sign referred to these conditions is located

The proprietor or such person in charge of the vehicle when requested to do so by an Authorised Officer of the Council shall return to them, any identification plate, sign, door sign, badge, emblem or device.

If any proprietor or such person in charge of the vehicle fails without reasonable excuse to comply, an Authorised Officer of the Council shall be entitled to remove and retain any identification plate, sign, roundel, badge, emblem or device.

The proprietor shall notify the Council of the loss or theft of any identification plate, door sign, sign, or notice relating to the private hire vehicle as soon as the loss becomes known and in any case within two working days.

10.  Table of fares

There shall be displayed within the vehicle for the information of passengers a current table of fares approved and supplied by the Council and kept in such a position as to be easily visible to passengers.

11. Transfer of interest

The proprietor shall notify the Council in writing online, giving the name and address of the new proprietor, within 14 days if he transfers his interest in the vehicle to another person.

12.  Accident notification

The proprietor shall notify the Council as soon as practicable, or in any case within 72 hours of any accident which results in damage to the vehicle. The Council's online 'Notification of Accident' form must be completed for each notification.

13.  Insurance

The vehicle shall have a current valid Policy of insurance at all times appropriate to the use authorised by this licence.

If the vehicle is off the road and uninsured at any time, the proprietor must inform the Council in writing as soon as practicable but in any event with 72 hours.

14.  Change of engine

The proprietor must notify the Council, in writing, within 7 days if the vehicle engine is changed. Such notification shall include details of the new engine number.

15.  Letting/leasing of vehicles

The proprietor shall not let or hire the vehicle identified in this licence to any other person, other than a fare paying passenger, without first notifying the Council in writing. Note: the proprietor will still be jointly responsible for the vehicle should a leasing arrangement be entered into.