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General Conditions
1.0. Licence Document
1.1. The licence document must be kept in a place where the vehicle is operated from and must be readily available for inspection by a duly authorised Council Officer or Police Officer.
1.2. Licenses for Private Hire Vehicles will run for a period of twelve months.
1.3. If you decide to work for another operator, you must notify the Council within 7 days.
1.4. If your Private Hire Vehicle licence expires you must return the vehicle licence, identification plate and backing plate to the Council within 7 days.
1.5. The licence plate shall not be transferred to another vehicle without the consent of the Council.
1.6. The licence holder must notify the Council of any changes:-
a) in the particulars disclosed on any application forms
b) or in respect of any forms or documents submitted in order to make an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Licence.
2.0. Deposit of Driver’s Licence
2.1. If the Licence Holder permits or employs any other person to drive the vehicle as a Private Hire Vehicle he/she shall, before that person commences to drive the vehicle, ensure that a copy of his/her Combined Drivers Licence is retained, until such time as the driver ceases to be permitted or employed to drive the vehicle or any such vehicle of his/hers.
3.0. Change of Address
3.1. If you change your address at any time during the period of the licence, you must inform the Council, in writing, within 7 days.
4.0. Single Authority Licensing of Vehicle
4.1. This licence is issued on the condition that the private hire vehicle to which it relates is not licensed as either a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle by another authority. If Lichfield District Council becomes aware of other vehicle licenses (Hackney Carriage or Private Hire ) running concurrently with this licence, then this licence will be revoked.
5.0. Vehicle Details
5.1. Vehicle Insurance
5.1.1. The licence holder shall ensure that there is a current certificate of insurance in force to cover the period of the licence. The licence holder shall produce all vehicle insurance documents on demand to the Council at any time during the period of the licence. The licence holder shall ensure that a full certificate or cover note of insurance is produced to the Council within 7 days of expiry or upon request or any earlier renewal.
5.1.2. Before permitting any licensed Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver to drive the vehicle, the licence holder shall ensure that the driver is adequately insured to do so.
5.2.0. Vehicle Road Fund Licence
5.2.1. The licence holder must ensure that at all times the vehicle is covered by a current vehicle road fund licence. The licence holder shall produce a current vehicle road fund licence on demand to the Council at any time during the period of the licence.
5.3.0. Ministry of Transport Test Certificate
5.3.1. The licence holder is required to produce on demand to an authorised officer of the Council or a Police Officer, an annual Ministry of Transport Test Certificate after 3 Years from the date of initial registration.
5.4.0. Inspection
5.4.1. The Council may require in writing the licence holder to produce the vehicle for inspection up to three times annually. Inspections carried out on an unannounced basis will not be included within the above figure.
5.5.0. Accidents
5.5.1. Any accident or damage involving the licensed vehicle must be reported to the Council within 3 working days. This may be an oral report in the first instance but must be followed up by the completion of an Accident Report Form.
5.6.0. Alteration of Vehicles
5.6.1. No material alterations or change in specification, design, condition or appearance of the Private Hire Vehicle shall be made at any time while the licence is in force without the prior approval of the Council.
5.7.0. Vehicle Type
5.7.1. The Private Hire Vehicle must not be of an approved type,(approved by the Public Carriage Office) and must not in any way shape or form resemble a Hackney Carriage.
5.7.2. The seating arrangement in ‘People Carrier’ type vehicles will be fixed and approved by the Council. Every seat should have direct access to an exit door, therefore no seat which needs to be tilted, moved or in any way adjusted to gain access to another row of seats will be allowed. The seating will not be moved once the approval has been granted.
5.7.3. The vehicle must have engines rated at not less than 1600cc.
5.7.4. All saloon / estate type vehicles must have a minimum of 4 doors excluding rear doors/tailgate/boot.
5.7.5. Vehicles capable of carrying more than 4 passengers e.g. people carriers/minibuses and similar type, must have a minimum of 3 doors excluding the rear doors/tailgate/ boot. The third door must be located on the near side of the vehicle to ensure safe access and egress of passengers. There must be sufficient space for luggage whilst still leaving gangways clear and there shall be a suitable restraint available to secure any luggage in the passenger compartment. Prior to issuing the appropriate licence, the vehicle must be approved for this purpose by the licensing authority.
5.7.6. Any vehicle that in the opinion of the Council has received any modification, other than by a recognised vehicle manufacturer, shall at the discretion of the Council undergo an additional safety test at a testing centre approved by the Council.
5.8.0. Comfort of Passengers
5.8.1. Seating dimension must comply with the following measurements;
a) Seat Height 85 Centimeters (34 inches)
b) Knee space 76 Centimeters (30 inches)
c) Depth of seat 51 Centimeters (20 inches)
d) Width of seat 41 Centimeters (16 inches)
6.0. Colour
6.1. All licensed Private Hire vehicles can be any colour except white or anything which appears to be white.
7.0. Age Limit of Vehicles
7.1. No Private Hire Vehicle will be permitted to be more than 6 years old from the date of first registration unless the vehicle is in an exceptional condition as determined by the Council.
7.2. Existing holders of Private Hire Vehicle Licenses will be granted an exemption from this condition until 31st March 2004.
7.3. The vehicle proprietor shall not be permitted at any time to replace or renew the licence with a vehicle older than that shown on the licence to which these conditions are attached.
8.0. Maintenance of Vehicle
8.1. The vehicle and all its fittings and equipment shall at all times when the vehicle is in use or available for hire, be kept in an efficient, safe, tidy and clean condition and shall fully comply with all relevant statutory provisions and in particular for mechanically propelled vehicles the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations.
8.2. The interior of the vehicle shall be kept clean and tidy at all times when in use as a Private Hire vehicle. The exterior of the vehicle is to be clean at all times, having due regard to the weather conditions on the day.
8.3. The vehicle shall also carry a spare wheel and tyre, which complies with all legal requirements, and the necessary tools to change the same. Space saver tyres must only be used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
8.3.1. The preceding condition 8.3 shall not apply in the case of vehicles specifically modified to operate using gas as an alternative fuel and where the gas fuel tank occupies the existing spare wheel compartment.
9.0. Advertising and Official Signs
9.1. All Private Hire Vehicles must display Private Hire Identification signs as supplied by the Council and shall ensure each is permanently affixed to both of the rear passenger doors of the vehicle aligned horizontally with the rear door handles and shall remain on display at all times.
9.2. These signs shall not be removed from the vehicle except with the approval of, or under the supervision of, an Authorised Officer of the Council or any Police Officer.
9.3. No words, letters or graphics may be displayed on the glazing of the vehicle.
9.4. The proprietor of the Private Hire vehicle may display on the vehicle the trading name and contact number of the operator to whom all advance bookings for this vehicle are taken. This is restricted to a single advertisement on the front passenger and drivers doors (if licensed for 8 seats then one rear panel) and to be contained within a border with a maximum size of 600mm in width and 300mm in height and for the bonnet and boot of the vehicle, a single advertisement of a maximum size of 600mm in width and 150mm in height to be agreed in advance in writing.
9.5. The words ‘taxi’ ‘taxis’, ‘cab’ or any words so closely resembling those words as to likely be mistaken for them are not to be displayed on or about any Private Hire vehicle and including on any sign or notice displayed on the vehicle or on any stationary or business cards.
9.6. No other material may be displayed on the outside of the vehicle without the written authorisation of the Council.
9.7. The proprietor shall maintain such signs in a clean and tidy condition and shall further remove any sign which is damaged, or defaced.
9.8. No advertisement shall be displayed within the interior of the vehicle.
9.9. Under no circumstances must a mobile phone number be advertised on any part of the vehicle, business cards or stationary in order to invite or accept bookings.
10.0. Notices
10.1. The licence holder shall display inside the vehicle any notice reasonably required by the Council.
11.0. Private Mobile Radio
11.1. The radio telephony equipment installed and used to communicate with the operator centre and other vehicles must be properly licensed and operated in accordance with the relevant codes of practice and legal requirements
11.2. Installation or the use of Citizen Band (CB) radio equipment, or scanners, within the licensed vehicle is not permitted.
12.0. Vehicle Licence Plate
The Private Hire vehicle licence plate shall be affixed to the vehicle in the following manner:-
12.1. attached to the backing plate supplied by the Council either above or below the rear vehicle registration number plate.
12.2. The licence holder shall ensure that the Private Hire Vehicle Plate is at all times kept maintained in such good condition that the information contained is clearly visible to the public view.
12.3. The licence plate shall remain the property of the Council and shall be returned to the Council upon the expiration, suspension or revocation of this licence, including a suspension under Section 68 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions)Act 1976.
12.4. Any Authorised Officer of Lichfield District Council may sieze plates immediately if they deem a licenced vehicle unroadworthy for any reason
13.0. Seating Capacity
13.1. The licence holder shall not convey or permit to be conveyed in the licensed vehicle any greater number of persons than that prescribed in the licence and on the plate issued by Council.
14.0. Seat Belts
14.1. The vehicle must be fitted with sufficient number of seat belts so that all passengers carried in the vehicle have a seat belt available for their use. The seat belts provided must conform to the appropriate British Standard, be maintained in good working order and be readily accessible for use by the passengers.
Wheelchair access
15.0. The proprietor of a specially adapted vehicle shall ensure that either the licensee or any driver licensed to drive an especially adapted vehicle has undergone training approved by the Council for this purpose.
15.1. The licence holder may display on suitably adapted vehicles symbols or form of words indicating that the vehicle has been adapted for use by disabled persons. The Council will however require evidence of the acceptability of such adaptation and shall approve the form of words and symbols.
16.0. Safety Equipment
16.1. There shall be provided and maintained in the vehicle a dry powder fire extinguisher of at least 1.0kg capacity. It shall be fitted with a gauge or expiry date and be carried in such a position as to be readily available for immediate use in an emergency. The fire extinguisher must conform to the appropriate British Standard.
17.0. Vehicle Roof Signs
17.1. The provision of roof signs to any private hire vehicle is prohibited.
18.0. Smoking
18.1. Smoking of any substance within the vehicle by any person is not permitted. A sign shall be displayed inside the Private Hire Vehicle indicating that smoking is not permitted within the vehicle.
19.0 CCTV
19.1 CCTV cameras may be installed in vehicles, provided their use is clearly signed within the vehicle and all regulations covering the use of such equipment is adhered to.
20.0. Offences and Penalties
20.1. Contravention of these conditions constitute an offence under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. In addition it is also an offence to obstruct an authorised officer or Police Constable in his duty. Any person who commits an offence against any of the provisions of this Part of this Act in respect of which no penalty is expressly provided shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Level 3 on the standard scale. Contravention may also result in suspension or revocation of the licence in accordance with the statutory provision.
21.0. Revocation and Modification of Conditions
21.1. The Council reserves the right (at its own behest and at any time) to revoke, vary, or modify any of these conditions and/or to make such additional conditions as it may deem requisite, either generally or in respect of any particular licence or occasion.
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