Taxi Driver Online

Would it be possible to form temporary ranks outside public places and hot spots during the xmas new years period?
we have ranks close to pubs and clubs but are a little out of the way but private hire park right outside and nick the jobs before anyone even has a chance to see us?
would it be possible if we could park where the private hire are parking so the public use legal service and are safe?

The legal answer is no. But by the same token PH are not allowed to rank up. Both PH and hackney can pick up pre bookings though. We have "an understanding" with the police and licensing in our town centre that we can "rank" in 2 places that are not official ranks during the evening and into the night. It has been going on for years without any problems. By the way there is only one private hire car working in our town and it is one of our cars and it is kept busy with bookings.

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Grandad,

In my manor the police dont know the difference between taxi and private hire theyll actually tell private hire to take someone home at the end of the night not knowing a taxi is in sight and private hire cant pick up without a booking also the local council are never doing checks or telling private hire to move on or taking any action so what can we do to stop this illegal trade?

A couple of years ago when we had a ‘winter wonderland’ set up on the castle square our association asked if we could have a temporary rank set up outside, the council agreed and even put up the signage.

we have an unofficial one appears outside a local night spot on the rare occasions enforcement occurs several drivers were given penalty points for an illegal rank

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

No, but there is nothing stopping the trade asking for new ranks next year.

In emergencies, councils can put in temporary ranks under temporary traffic orders (say road works necessitate the closing of a rank), but temporary ranks for Xmas at this late a stage is not allowed.

In respect of your comment re PH nicking jobs before the punters can find a hackney, well the app market is very big now, and in my experience it's usually taxis taking pre-booked PH work.

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IDFIMH

Clearly that is evidence of the police not knowing the law, but it's also clear evidence of the local taxi trade not making a big enough song and dance about it for a number of years.

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IDFIMH

Park up right beside them and move them out of the way. Problem solved.