I am not sure if we have covered this one in depth.

I Had a general text this morning from one of our drivers, who claims he has done a bit of research re councils using bye - laws to determine as to whether they allow drivers to request money up front.

He is under the impression that it is a bit of a mixed bag up and down the country, for example; He reckons Birmingham barred drivers taking money up front in April 2013 - yet Telford council made up front payments compulsory in 2011 between 7pm and 7am.

What happens in your area? and how do you get around this situation without being accused of refusing a fare?

No local authority can make law that goes beyond the law of the land.

Not too sure about that one.

I do not want to move away from the topic, but; We can have our vehicles/cabs MOT tested at any MOT station in the borough, with additional checks on top of the normal testing. Basically their rules - their bat and ball so to speak.

Sorry, they are allowed to do that within the confines of the act -

In the case you cite above its covered by section 50 which empowers the council to test ;

50 Provisions as to proprietors..

(1)Without prejudice to the provisions of section 68 of this Act, the proprietor of any hackney carriage or of any private hire vehicle licensed by a district council shall present such hackney carriage or private hire vehicle for inspection and testing by or on behalf of the council within such period and at such place within the area of the council as they may by notice reasonably require:.

Provided that a district council shall not under the provisions of this subsection require a proprietor to present the same hackney carriage or private hire vehicle for inspection and testing on more than three separate occasions during any one period of twelve months.

(2)The proprietor of any hackney carriage or private hire vehicle—.

(a)licensed by a district council under the Act of 1847 or under this Part of this Act; or.

(b)in respect of which an application for a licence has been made to a district council under the Act of 1847 or under this Part of this Act;.
shall, within such period as the district council may by notice reasonably require, state in writing the address of every place where such hackney carriage or private hire vehicle is kept when not in use, and shall if the district council so require afford to them such facilities as may be reasonably necessary to enable them to cause such hackney carriage or private hire vehicle to be inspected and tested there.

(3)Without prejudice to the provisions of [F95section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988], the proprietor of a hackney carriage or of a private hire vehicle licensed by a district council shall report to them as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within seventy-two hours of the occurrence thereof, any accident to such hackney carriage or private hire vehicle causing damage materially affecting the safety, performance or appearance of the hackney carriage or private hire vehicle or the comfort or convenience of persons carried therein..

(4)The proprietor of any hackney carriage or of any private hire vehicle licensed by a district council shall at the request of any authorised officer of the council produce for inspection the vehicle licence for such hackney carriage or private hire vehicle and the certificate of the policy of insurance or security required by [F96Part VI of the Road Traffic Act 1988]in respect of such hackney carriage or private hire vehicle..

(5)If any person without reasonable excuse contravenes the provisions of this section, he shall be guilty of an offence.