Taxi Driver Online

not in sandwell....

I've had one on top of my 'cab' for the last 22 years.

Time he became a proper taxi driver instead of PH

That just says that any top sign used on a private hire vehicle can't use certain words. It doesn't say that you can't have a sign.

Transport Act 1980

Section 64.

Roof-signs on vehicle other than taxis.

(1)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.

(2)Any person who knowingly—(a)drives a vehicle in respect of which subsection (1) is contravened; or(b)causes or permits that subsection to be contravened in respect of any vehicle,shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1level 3 on the standard scale].(3)In this section “taxi” means a vehicle licensed under section 37 of the M1Town Police Clauses Act 1847, section 6 of the M2Metropolitan Carriage Act 1869, [F2section 10 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982] or any similar local enactment.

If there is ONE ISSUE that a National Association for Hackney Carriage proprietors and drivers should have taken through the Courts to the ultimate end since the Transport Act 1980 was enacted it is this one!!

The legislation is clear, councils are flagrantly abusing this legislation, it has not been legally challenged, so who can blame the councils?

It's the easy option!!

You make a great case for PH roof signs.

The legislation is clear, councils are flagrantly abusing this legislation, it has not been legally challenged, so who can blame the councils?

(1)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.

You may think it's clear, but councils, the courts, and licensing lawyers disagree.

But this act isn't the one needed to outlaw PH roof signs, if councils wish to ban them all they need do is amend their licensing conditions.

As those supporters of restrictions keep repeating, councils know best.

someone ought to show this to 2 of our local take aways, Domino's Pizzas and Indian Knights t/a cos they both have home delivery vehicles that have illuminated roof signs. I suppose Indian Knights could be mistaken for the name of a taxi co?

is it any wonder the public are confused when the trade, the councils and the courts have no definitive answer to a simple problem