Taxi Driver Online

THE owner of a taxi firm is angry after being told he has to remove the word “cab” from his cars.


Part owner Stephen Haines who has been told by Barrow Borough Council that he can not use the word 'cab' on his private hire vehicles, although he can still have his business called 1st Choice Cabs. LINDSEY DICKINGS REF: 50009033B000Stephen Haines founded 1st Choice Cabs four weeks ago and bought three vehicles for his company.

But council officials have now told the 54-year-old that he will have to remove his company’s branding from his cars.

This is because the private hire licence that he has purchased does not allow vehicles to be described as cabs.

He has been left confused by the ruling by Barrow Borough Council and said he could be up to £500 out of pocket.

Mr Haines, of Ramsden Street, Barrow, said: “At the time of applying for this licence I asked for all wording to be checked.

“I looked up the meaning of cab, and there was no indication it was strictly used for hackney carriages. I therefore called my firm 1st Choice Cabs, which I had asked to be verified as being acceptable. They returned to me and stated this to be fine.”

But Mr Haines was then told that he would have to remove the company name from his vehicles.

He said: “I have spent money I can ill afford on getting this project off the ground.

“Surely the council are being over-petty. There are hundreds of firms in this country that run under the ending ‘cabs’.”

Mr Haines will now have to remove stickers, which he paid over £100 to have designed, from the cars. He has also had cards, signs and flyers designed with the same logo.

Barrow Borough Council said that although there is no problem with the name of the company, legislation means that Mr Haines is not allowed to display the full name on his cars.

A spokesman said: “Stephen Haines has a number of vehicles licensed by the borough council as Private Hire Vehicles.

“As such he is precluded from putting the words ‘taxi’, ‘cab’ or ‘hire’ on any part of his vehicles by Section 64 Transport Act 1980.

“This is presumably so that customers who use taxis do not get private hire vehicles and hackney carriages, traditionally known as ‘cabs’, confused.”



http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/barrow-ta ... rPath=home

My heart bleeds for him ,not

Neither does mine, but I did leave mine in San Francisco.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I suppose this is one occasion when the rules were not made to be broken

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Sam Planks disco more like

Our Licensing Board has changed the Private Hire Conditions to allow the word "cab" to be used on Private Hire Vehicles

7.7 Any advertisements, signs, notices, numbers, marks etc borne on the vehicle shall not consist of, or include the words “taxi” or “for hire” whether in the singular or plural or any word of similar meaning or appearance, whether alone of as part of another word suggesting that the vehicle is a hackney carriage vehicle.

http://cmttpublic.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=529&MId=2218&Ver=4

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http://chestertaxicall.co.uk

Doesn't this cover the word "cab"?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

So the word "hire" can't be used on the car. Does that mean that he couldn't put on the cars for instance, "Stephen Haines private Hire." Which is exactly what it is.

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Grandad,

So these two councils are disagreeing on the interpretation of section 64 of the Transport Act 1980 then?

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Caledonian Cabbie

Yes, and Mr Bubbles' council is wrong.

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IDFIMH

I dunno...the Act appears to mention only signs that are on or above the roof...no mention of signage or use of wordage allowed or not allowed lower than the roof level..


64 Roof-signs on vehicle other than taxis

There shall not, in any part of England and Wales outside the metropolitan police district and the City of London, be displayed on or above the roof of any vehicle which is used for carrying passengers for hire or reward but which is not a taxi-

(a)any sign which consists of or includes the word “taxi” or “cab”, whether in the singular or plural, or “hire”, or any word of similar meaning or appearance to any of those words, whether alone or as part of another word; or

(b)any sign, notice, mark, illumination or other feature which may suggest that the vehicle is a taxi

Indeed it does, but any vehicle that gives the average person reason to believe it is a cab/taxi, when it is not, will make themselves liable to a plying for hire charge, and/or a trading standards charge.

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IDFIMH

So how exactly do you write the words 'private hire only' on a vehicle without using the word "hire". Obviously somewhere along the line they've decided it's ok to have the word hire on vehicles but not "taxi" or "cab". It should have been nipped in the bud years ago and they should have been told to write 'private booking only' or am I being pedantic or totally missing the point.

The other point being as bloodnock has pointed out this only applies to signage above the roof and not below it. So if it's ok to have "hire" on signage below the roof why not the words "taxi" or "cab"

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Thats as maybe...but there's no mention of it in that particular act..that begs the question where does it say you cant use the word Cab on your vehicle if used below the level of the roof? If its the law that you cannot use the word Cab then it must be enshrined somewhere in some law or another.

An LA can set what conditions it deems reasonably necessary, if the guy doesnt like it he can appeal.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin