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PostPosted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:20 pm 
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Key Cabs Ltd v Plymouth City Council

Queen's Bench Division, Administrative Court

Mitting J

8 November 2007

Road traffic – Hackney carriage – Licence – Grant of licence – Claimant operator applying for 30 additional licences – Application not made in relation to specific, existing vehicles – Whether application valid – Town Police Clauses Act 1847, s 40

Section 40 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 provides, so far as material:


'Before any such licence is granted a requisition for the same, in such form as the commissioners from time to time provide for that purpose, shall be made and signed by the proprietor or one of the proprietors of the hackney carriage in respect of which such licence is applied for; and in every such requisition shall be truly stated the name and surname and place of abode of the person applying for such licence, ... and any person who, on applying for such licence, states in such requisition the name of any person who is not a proprietor or part proprietor of such carriage ... shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding [level 1 on the standard scale].'

The claimant was a company operating some 400 taxis and hackney carriages in the Plymouth area. In May 2003, it wrote to the defendant local authority requesting an additional 30 hackney carriage licences. It stated that it required the additional licences as a result of increased demand on its services, not in response to any commercial activity on its part. It offered to make a presentation in support of the application if the authority so required. No reply was received until November 2003, when the authority wrote stating that it had received many applications. It did not indicate whether the claimant's would be accepted. A period of silence followed until July 2004, when the claimant wrote again, referring to the delay and stating that it would present vehicles within two weeks to compel a decision. The authority replied in the same month stating that it could not provide licences as requested. The claimant presented one Peugeot vehicle for plating and licensing, which was refused. It appealed the authority's refusal to the Crown Court, which dismissed the appeal. The claimant appealed to the High Court.

The issue arising on the appeal was whether the claimant's letter of May 2003 constituted an application for the purposes of s 40 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, given that it had not been made in relation to 30 specific vehicles, but rather simply for 30 additional licences.

The appeal would be dismissed.

On its true construction, s 40 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 required that applications for hackney carriage licences be made in respect of specific vehicles only. It might be that the vehicles had not been manufactured, and that information from manufacturers about the allocation of forthcoming chassis numbers and the like would suffice, but there had to be sufficient material to identify specific vehicles.

Although the result did not make modern economic sense, given that it would often be difficult for an operator to acquire new vehicles without knowing whether additional licences would be granted, the wording of the statute allowed no other interpretation. Indeed, it rendered it an offence for an application not to state the particular vehicle.

The letter of May 2003 did not constitute a valid application under s 40.

Alan Newman QC and Peter Maddox (instructed by Ashfords) for the claimant.
James Findlay (instructed by A Gillibanks) for the authority.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:03 pm 
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JD wrote:
On its true construction, s 40 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 required that applications for hackney carriage licences be made in respect of specific vehicles only. It might be that the vehicles had not been manufactured, and that information from manufacturers about the allocation of forthcoming chassis numbers and the like would suffice, but there had to be sufficient material to identify specific vehicles.

Although the result did not make modern economic sense, given that it would often be difficult for an operator to acquire new vehicles without knowing whether additional licences would be granted, the wording of the statute allowed no other interpretation. Indeed, it rendered it an offence for an application not to state the particular vehicle.

](*,)

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:06 am 
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Sussex wrote:
JD wrote:
On its true construction, s 40 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 required that applications for hackney carriage licences be made in respect of specific vehicles only. It might be that the vehicles had not been manufactured, and that information from manufacturers about the allocation of forthcoming chassis numbers and the like would suffice, but there had to be sufficient material to identify specific vehicles.

Although the result did not make modern economic sense, given that it would often be difficult for an operator to acquire new vehicles without knowing whether additional licences would be granted, the wording of the statute allowed no other interpretation. Indeed, it rendered it an offence for an application not to state the particular vehicle.

](*,)


This judge is new to hackney carriage legislation and it shows. Every case that has gone before the courts including all those precipitated by Kelly has made it clear that an applicant need not supply vehicle details in order to apply for a license. Yet here with have a not so senior misguided judge who completely reverseses everything that has gone before, since 1847.

Bloody remarkable.

Regards

JD

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2024 12:04 pm 
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Is this case still valid and does it take precedence over Kelly and suchlike ?

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2024 2:06 pm 
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captain cab wrote:
Is this case still valid and does it take precedence over Kelly and suchlike ?

In respect of what issue?

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2024 2:08 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Is this case still valid and does it take precedence over Kelly and suchlike ?

In respect of what issue?


Presenting a vehicle upon application

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2024 6:15 pm 
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captain cab wrote:
Sussex wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Is this case still valid and does it take precedence over Kelly and suchlike ?

In respect of what issue?


Presenting a vehicle upon application

I think it still applies, and despite my views at the time it does seem a sensible way to proceed, i.e. the council can only license a vehicle that is actually put before them.

I suppose an applicant could ask a council if they will license a certain vehicle if it is put before them, and then maybe act on it if they say yes. But clearly if a council has a numbers restriction they will normally not agree.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2024 6:25 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
I think it still applies, and despite my views at the time it does seem a sensible way to proceed, i.e. the council can only license a vehicle that is actually put before them.

I suppose an applicant could ask a council if they will license a certain vehicle if it is put before them, and then maybe act on it if they say yes. But clearly if a council has a numbers restriction they will normally not agree.


And what in respect of a vehicle over the age limit that a council suggest requires inspection by councillors for first license?

If the application is refused, then the driver will have wasted thousands potentially?

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2024 8:39 am 
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That’s why the only avenue is to engage the council before a vehicle is purchased.

Or maybe contact the lead licensing councillor, copying licensing officials, putting the case for going outside the current rules. Clearly current best practice guidance will assist.

Councils, on occasion, can be flexible, but it can be a long drawn out effort not a straight away matter which we all want.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2024 7:18 pm 
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Aldritt?

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2024 7:51 am 
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captain cab wrote:
Aldritt?

That is one of my favourite judgements but I’m not sure how much it applies to the matter at hand.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 12:35 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Aldritt?

That is one of my favourite judgements but I’m not sure how much it applies to the matter at hand.


Mr Stephens submits that the insurance requests are requests which are reasonable within the meaning of that power. I agree with that submission without hesitation. I also agree that where there is a certificate of insurance it would be reasonable to require its production for inspection. However, I could not agree that an application should not be considered unless it is accompanied by a certificate of insurance. That requirement is not one which in my view is authorised by section 57, or for that matter any other provision in relation to the licensing of vehicles, and accordingly a refusal to entertain on that ground would in my judgment be unlawful.

As I understand it, the district council does not dissent from that and is content that its request for information might be answered "not yet arranged" or "to be arranged". Such an answer might well be one for a person who has not previously had a licence for his vehicle and who does not wish to incur expenditure on insuring it as a Hackney before he gets a plate for it. I think the difficulty would be removed if the form made it clear that there was a qualification ". . . if any".

Thus, if the question posed by the Crown Court which I have read is read in the sense in which I think it is intended to be read the answer is that it is unlawful to refuse to consider an application unless a certificate of insurance is in force. However, a request for information is in my view perfectly appropriate.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 4:19 pm 
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But is all this necessary?

If you say to a council I'm looking at a certain vehicle, and if I properly insure that vehicle will you license it, they will say yes or they will say no.

You don't need to buy a vehicle and insurance on the off chance.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 4:25 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
But is all this necessary?

If you say to a council I'm looking at a certain vehicle, and if I properly insure that vehicle will you license it, they will say yes or they will say no.

You don't need to buy a vehicle and insurance on the off chance.


I completely agree

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