Taxi Driver Online

Hackney Carriage Zones

It has recently come to my attention that the adoption of legislative provisions dating
back to 1977, namely Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions)
Act, 1976 have meant that as a result of adoption of the said legislation, the effect
was as follows, the entire Borough of Tunbridge Wells became one area with no
zones. Please be advised that if no zones legally exist within a district, they cannot
be created by a Local Authority. In 1977 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council made the
decision to abolish zones and conduct the licensing of hackney carriage and private
hire as one area.

In light of the above there is no distinction between a rural plate and a town plate. All
plates issued by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council are borough wide. i.e. can ply for
hire within the whole borough of Tunbridge Wells. We will be issuing a press
statement to let the public know about the change.

If you are a hackney carriage rural plate licence holder, please contact the Licensing
Department on 01892 526 121 to arrange a convenient time to exchange your ‘green’
plate for a ‘blue’ plate, which is the colour that we will be adopting to use borough
wide.

Please be advised you may continue to use the ‘green’ plate borough wide in the
meantime but we would appreciate you making the plate exchange as soon as is
possible to avoid any unnecessary confusion.

A detailed outline of the legislative provision and resolution of the Council is set out in
Appendix A.

Appendix A
At the Environmental Committee on 7th March 1977 (minute 814), the Director of
Administration and the Borough Solicitor submitted a report on the provision of Part
III of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1976 which amended
existing hackney carriage legislation and also enabled local authorities to control
private hire vehicles by means of a licensing system. The recommendation was for
notices of intention to pass the necessary resolution to apply the aforementioned
legislation to the Borough of Tunbridge Wells with effect from 1st March 1978.

The Policy and Resources Committee on the 15th March 1977 (minutes 888)
recommended that the detail of report of 7th March 1977 be approved and adopted.
The Council on 29th March 1977 (minute 913) approved the recommendation for
adoption of the said legislation.

The Environmental Committee on 20th June 1977 (minute 68) considered the
consultations that had been received from interested bodies on the draft scheme of
the licensing of hackney carriage and private hire vehicles and decided the
provisions to be applied.

The Council on the 12th July 1977 (minute 208) approved the report of the 20th June
1977 subject to the amendments and what was approved is as follows:-

1. That Part 2 of the local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 be
applied to the Borough of Tunbridge Wells with effect from 1st March 1978;

2. That the scheme referred to in Minute 814(a) be approved as the basis of the
Council’s scheme for licensing hackney carriage and private hire vehicles,
drivers and operators subject to (1) the minimum engine capacity for hackney
carriages being 1500cc, (2) vehicles not being licensed as hackney carriages
beyond the age of six years;

3. There being available a 28 day provisional drivers licence to enable drivers to
undertake training;

4. That the Director of Administration be authorised to make all necessary
administrative and licensing arrangements;

5. That appropriate taxi ranks signs be provided and fixed at all stands by the
Director of Technical Services; and

6. That the Director of Administration arrange for the evening testing of vehicle
drivers, if this is possible.

Heavy reading but I assume from this that they have been operating a zoning sytem when they shouldn't have

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Only for 35 years.

It would be interesting to know if any rural taxis had been prosecuted for plying in the urban bit.

That said I bet the urban lot are not happy bunnies.

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IDFIMH