Legislation

Town Police Clauses Act 1847
Main Hackney Carriage legislation for provincial England and Wales.

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976
Primarily regulates private hire vehicles in provincial England and Wales, but some provisions relate to Hackney Carriages.

Transport Act 1985
Link to sections of the Act most relevant to the trade.

Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998
Enacted to regulate London minicabs as private hire vehicles.

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Licensing provisions relevant to taxis (HCs) and private hire vehicles in Scotland.

Case law

Lunt v Liverpool
Turning circle requirement not in accordance with EU Law

Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Hackney Carriages licenced in area A and undertaking private hire bookings in area B.

Benson v Boyce
The driver of a private hire vehicle must hold the relevant driver’s licence whether or not the vehicle is engaged on hire and reward.

Brentwood Borough Council v Gladen
Hackney Carriages undertaking private hire work do not need an operator’s licence under the LG(MP) Act 1976.

Cannock Chase District Council v Alldritt
Application for Hackney Carriage licence cannot be refused because of the absence of valid insurance.

Dittah v Birmingham City Council
Holder of private hire operator’s licence can only utilise vehicles and drivers licensed by the same local authority.

Eastbourne Borough Council v Stirling
Vehicles on private land can be deemed plying for hire in a public place if offer of services projected to members of the public in the street.

East Staffordshire Borough Council v Rendall
A private hire operator cannot redirect phone calls from his place of business in the district in which he is licensed to operate to another district.

Manchester v King
Councils can only recover the actual costs of processing a driver’s license.

Royden v Wirral Borough Council
Licence plate premium not protectable property under European Convention on Human Rights.

Scotland

Coyle v Glasgow City Council
If an application for a taxi licence is to be refused on the basis that there is no significant unmet demand, up-to-date evidence must be available to the licensing authority when such applications are considered.

Sneddon v Renfrewshire Council
Local authorities are not acting illegally by developing their own accessibility policies.