A Guide to Using Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles in Bath and
North East Somerset
Hackney Carriage or Private Hire? What is the
difference?
Generally, the customer goes to find a Hackney Carriage, but a
Private Hire car comes to find the customer, but be assured both
types of vehicle are regularly tested by the Council for comfort
and mechanical safety.
Here are some points to remember:
Hackney Carriages
- Hackney Carriages can be found at various locations in the City
of Bath and in some of the surrounding towns.
- They normally ply their trade from specific locations called
“taxi ranks” and are available to be hired immediately. You can
also hail a Hackney Carriage as it drives along, just stick out
your arm and attempt to attract the drivers attention, if the
vehicle is available it should stop and pick you up. Never step out
in front of a moving vehicle.
- The vehicles themselves can be normal cars or minibuses as well
as the more traditional London or Black Cab which are famous
throughout the world and easily recognisable as taxis.
- All Hackney Carriages are equipped with a taximeter which will
clearly show how much you should pay.
- Hackney Carriage fares are set by the Council and it is illegal
for the driver to charge more.
- A map showing Hackney Carriage ranks is available from
Licensing Services.
- Table
of typical taxi fares.
- Hackney Carriages, are all required to display a sign on the
roof of the vehicle with the word TAXI clearly displayed. All
licenced Hackney Carriages also display exterior vehicle
identification “plates” on the front and rear of the vehicle.
These “plates” are white in colour and show the vehicle licence
number, the expiry date of the licence and the vehicle registration
number.
Private Hire Cars
- Private Hire cars (sometimes called mini-cabs) are especially
useful if you require a door to door service.
- Private Hire cars must be pre-booked either by telephone or by
calling at the office of a private hire operator, they cannot stop
in the street and pick you up and they cannot be hailed in the
street.
- It is illegal for a Private Hire to take a journey which has
not been pre-booked, or to accept a fare by being hailed.
- All Private Hire cars are saloon, estates or mini-buses with a
maximum of eight seats.
- The majority of Private Hire cars use taximeters to calculate
the fare, however not all of them do.
- The fares are set by the Private Hire Operator and are not
controlled by the Council. You can ask for a quote in advance.
- Private Hire companies can be found in the local phonebook, or
through your hotel or guest house.
- Private Hire cars also display a distinctive roof sign. The
roof sign is a bright yellow half moon with the Private Hire
licence number and says “ADVANCE BOOKING ONLY”.
- Private Hire vehicles are clearly marked with identification
plates on the front and rear exterior of the vehicle. These
“plates” are yellow in colour and show the vehicle licence number,
the expiry date of the licence and the vehicle registration
number.
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers
- Anyone who drives one of these vehicles must apply to the
Council for a licence to drive Hackney Carriages or Private Hire
vehicles.
- The Council carries out a series of stringent tests before a
driver is granted a licence.
- This means that you can rest assured that any person driving a
licenced vehicle in the area is safe and that they should behave in
a courteous and professional manner.
- REMEMBER you are paying for a service, the driver should be
courteous and helpful, particularly if you have luggage or
shopping.
- DON’T accept rude or unhelpful service.
- All drivers are required to wear an identification badge on
their upper body when hired or available for hire, they are also
required to display an identification badge inside the
vehicle.
Complaints
If you have a complaint regarding any licenced vehicle or driver
you should contact the Council Licensing Enforcement Officer on
01225 477689.
If you wish to complain always try to obtain the following
information which should be readily available once you know what to
look for:
- Drivers name or badge number (badge worn by driver and
displayed inside car).
- Vehicle Licence number (displayed on roof signs and
identification plates front, rear and interior of
vehicle).
If you suspect that you are being overcharged, but do not want
to confront the driver, politely ask for a receipt at the end of
the journey and report the matter to the Council on 01225
477689.
The driver MUST give you a receipt if you request one.
Travel for the Disabled Person
Hackney Carriages with access for disabled persons can be found
on the taxi ranks in Bath.
However, if you require a door to door service a list of
owner/operator's telephone numbers is available.
Taxis
with disabled access
Can I be refused?
The normal rule is that a driver cannot refuse a fare, however
sometimes there are exceptional circumstances when he/she
can.
Reasons for refusing a fare include:
- The passenger is drunk, violent or is likely to cause a risk to
the driver.
- There are too many passengers for the vehicle.
- The passenger has takeaway food.
- The passenger has luggage which will not fit in the vehicle or
may cause a safety hazard.
- Your journey ends outside of the district of the Council.
- It is illegal for a Hackney Carriage driver to refuse a fare
because it is too short.
- In any case the driver must clearly and politely explain
why.
