Taxi Driver Online

Where can I find written proof that bus,s cannot stand at a taxi rank.
Many Thanks.

Buses have designated bus stops, they are not allowed to ply for hire in any instance, they are a bus and as such buses are not allowed to ply for hire.

The only vehicle that is allowed to legaly ply for public hire is a licensed Hackney carriage. A taxi stand is designated by a licensing Authority so that a licensed Hackney carriage can legaly stand for hire in a public place.

If you read the 1985 Transport act it will tell you all you need to know about buses illegally plying for hire. Alternately you can read the 1847 act which will inform you that the only vehicle that can stand at a Taxi stand is a Hackney carriage.

Best wishes

JD

Prohibition of other vehicles on Hackney Carriage Stands

Part 2, 1976 ACT

SECTION 64

1) No person shall cause or permit any vehicle other than a hackney carriage to wait on any stand for hackney carriages during any period for which that stand has been appointed, or is deemed to have been appointed, by a District Council under the provisions of Section 63 of this act.

2) Notice of the prohibition in this section shall be indicated by such traffic signs as may be prescribed or authorised for the purpose by the Secretary of State in pursuance of his powers under Section 64 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984.

3) If a person without reasonable excuse contravenes the provisions of this section, he shall be deemed guilty of an offence.

4) In any proceedings under this section against the driver of a PSV it shall be a defence to show that, by reason of obstruction to traffic or for other compelling reason, he caused his vehicle to wait on a stand or part thereof and that he caused or permitted his vehicle so to wait for so long as was reasonably necessary for the taking up or setting down of passengers.


I was always under the impression that buses could, in exceptional circumstances, set down and pick up passengers from taxi ranks, under part 4, section 64, 1976 act.

Regards

Captain Cab

believe that a bus [service bus] can only use a designated route as set for that bus, and only use the bus stops to stand on that route as per Traffic Commission rules/law
Coaches, I always thought/heard that a coach could stop on a taxi rank to set down passengers only, if no other suitable place to drop is available, never seen anything in writing tho

John
I disagree with your interpretation of plying for hire.

all buses ply for hire in a sense, the smaller the bus the more it can do.

and they ply for hire at single fares.

and buses have licenses as Hackney Carriages look at thier tax disc!

I think part 4 basically says that buses can only set down on taxis ranks in an emergency. If a bus stops in a rank just because the bus stop in front is full, then that's an offence.

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IDFIMH

If that was the case then the driver is acting unlawfully, unless he/she has a taxi driver's license.

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IDFIMH

If I could just pass on what I recall from the 1985 act. I used to have the complete bill, its around here somewhere but I just can't put my hands on it.

First, I will give you the definition of a bus plying for hire.

A bus may not stop between bus stops to pick up passengers who have hailed the bus to stop. That is plying for hire.

Prolonging ones stay excessively at a designated bus stop and disregarding the time table, is plying for hire.

Stopping at an undesignated place with the purpose of obtaining customers is plying for hire.

The 1985 bill had a section on the unlawfull use of a bus. You may not have read it but I certainly did because in the late 80's we had a huge problem with buses plying for hire.

I Can't lay my hands on the bill at the moment but you should know that I would not intentionally say something that I wasn't sure of.

With regard to Taxi ranks, anyone can set down on a Taxi rank, there is no law that states they can't. What you can't do is ply for hire on a Taxi rank. I know one council in particular has introduced a bye law stating private hire vehicles cannot set down on a Taxi rank but thats apertaining to private hire vehicles.

Section 64 which Cap kindly contributed is about "waiting" not setting down. No vehicle is allowed to "wait" on a Taxi Rank and the optimum word here is "wait" there is a distinct difference between "wait" and "setting down".

Just to reafirm the point, "No vehicle" can ply for hire at a designated Taxi stand, other than a Designated licensed Taxi.

Best wishes

JD

Not directly relevant to your question, but this reminds me of the railway navvies who think nothing of taking up half the rank at our local station so they can carry on their business.

The last time they appeared I asked them nicely how long they'd be (I was diplomatic enough not to ask them directly to move!), but didn't get much of a response. But I heard one saying to another (loudly, and clearly for my consumption!) that 'they think the rank is their property'!!

Well, not quite, but I feel we have a greater claim to the rank than them!

I wouldn't mind, but it's not as if they needed to park there, since all they had with them was a couple of shovels and an empty wheelbarrow.

In fact, it would have been more convenient for themselves to park OFF the rank, but of course getting up other people's noses is the raison d'etre of donkeys like that!

C.67 section 30-1 1985 act

"Plying for hire by large public service vehicles"

A public service vehicle which is adapted to carry more than 8 passengers shall not be used on a road for plying for hire as a whole.

Subject to section 68 (3) of the 1981 passenger transport act as applied by section 127 (4) of this act. If a vehicle is used in contravention of subsection 1 above, the operator of the vehicle shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

I new I had it somewhere, I hope this clears up the matter.

Best wishes

JD

now you are rushing and you picked the wrong section!
still its an oh [edited by admin] for the Manchester Airport crew aint it?

I cannot find it but there is a part that relates to the powers of different size buses like 20 seats can hail and ride.

your part John bears my matter up, buses do ply for hire, are hackney carriages just cannot do so as a whole!

bucking the argument John bucking the argument.

to you Sussex your first judgement was right, you dont know enough to participate my son.

Even HC vehicles cannot set down customers at ranks ........... they are areas designated for HC vehicles to ply for hire .......... as you yourself said

no mention of providing any area to set down.

lol Yorkie I didn't make head nor tail of any of this.

Let me get this straight, are you saying the relevant section I quoted from the 1985 act about buses plying for hire doesn't exist?

With regard to Hail and ride, This type of service has to be registered along with any other service, it will have a start and finishing point and a route.

The main overiding principle of a hail and ride type bus service is that it mainly serves the rural community. Normally it is only hail and ride in those sparcely populated areas and housing estates that dont have bus stops. You are unlikely to find a cab rank stuck out in the middle of the penine range. Having said that, there are these type of services that do operate in areas that are not so sparcely populated but in the main they service towns and villages that have a transport shortage problem. I don't know of any hail and ride service that operates in large cities but maybe you can come up with one?

I don't know where you get this notion that buses can ply for hire, I would like you to tell me the principle and legal definition of a bus plying for hire?

I have already shown you the relevant section in the 1985 act, what is it about that section that you don't understand?

You mentioned hail ride but hail and ride operate on a fixed route and they are not plying for hire, they are picking up passengers according to their licence, that licence does not say they can ply for hire.

Perhaps if you wanted to test the theory that a bus can ply for hire, then you may wish to bring your bus into Manchester, park up on a Taxi rank with a big sign saying for hire and see what happens. In six months time you would no doubt have 3 points on your licence and a fine to boot.

Buses cannot roam the streets or sit on a Taxi rank plying for hire whether that Taxi rank be official or unofficial.

Things may have changed in the last 20 years but not to the extent that buses have the dual purpose of being a bus and a Taxi. Thats why section 12 stipulated that you are either one or the other.

Best wishes

JD.

Charlie, what did I say? I said anyone can set down at a Taxi Rank, Does that make it clear. There is no legisaltion on the statute that says they can't but you are quite at liberty to prove me wrong.





Taxi ranks are designated for Taxis to ply for hire, there is nothing as I have previously stated that says "ANY PERSON" cannot set down passengers on a Cab rank whether they be fare paying passengers or otherwise. I mentioned one local Authority who passed a by law that restricted private hire vehicles from setting down and picking up, that is an exception.

Best wishes

JD

We had an argument about this with our council about 10 years ago, I'll ask some others who were around there also but it was caused through a lad I used to work with being told to move on by a police officer while he was dropping off next to the bus station cause he was stopped on a rank, I can't remember exactly what happened but the outcome was notification from the council that HC ranks were for HC waiting for fares and only empty HC plying for hire should stop on the rank, law was quoted I'm sure and I will try and find out which.