Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy 2021 to 2026

Byelaws made under Section 68 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, and Section 171 of the Public Health Act 1875, by the Council of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees with respect to hackney carriages in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees.

Interpretation

Throughout these Byelaws "the Council" means the Council of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees and "the district" means the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees.

Provisions regulating the manner in which the number of each hackney carriage corresponding with the number of its licence, shall be displayed

• a) the proprietor of a hackney carriage shall cause plates displaying the number of the licence granted to him in respect of the carriage to be affixed on the inside of the carriage and at the rear on the outside thereof
• b) a proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall:
  • not wilfully or negligently cause or suffer any such number to be concealed from public view while the carriage is standing or plying for hire
  • not cause or permit the carriage to stand or ply for hire with any such plate so defaced that any figure or material particular is illegible

Provisions regulating how hackney carriages are to be furnished or provided

The proprietor of a hackney carriage shall provide an efficient fire extinguisher, which shall be carried in such a position as to be readily available for use.

The proprietor of a hackney carriage shall cause the same to be provided with a taximeter so constructed, attached, and maintained as to comply with the following requirements, that in to say:

• (a) the taximeter shall be fitted with a key or other device the turning of which will bring the machinery of the taximeter into action and cause the word. "HIRED" to appear on the face of the taximeter
• (b) such key or other device shall be capable of being locked in such a position that the machinery of the taximeter is not in action and that no fare is recorded on the face of the taximeter
• (c) when the machinery of the taximeter is in action there shall be recorded on the face of the taximeter in clearly legible figures a fare not exceeding the rate or fare which the proprietor or driver is entitled to demand and take for the hire of the carriage by distance in pursuance of the byelaw in that behalf
• (d) the word "FARE" shall be printed on the face of the taximeter in plain letters so as clearly to apply to the fare recorded thereon
• (e) the taximeter shall be so placed that all letters and figures on the face thereof are at all times plainly visible to any person being conveyed in the carriage, and for that purpose the letters and figures shall be capable of being suitably illuminated during any period of hiring
• (f) the taximeter and all the fittings thereof shall be so affixed to the carriage with seals or other appliances that it shall not be practicable for any person to tamper with them except by breaking, damaging or permanently displacing the seals or other appliances

Provisions regulating the conduct of the proprietors and drivers of hackney carriages plying within the district in their several employments and determining whether such drivers shall wear any and what badges

The driver of a hackney carriage provided with a taximeter shall:

• a) when standing or plying for hire, keep the key or other device fitted in pursuance of the byelaw in that behalf locked in the position in which no fare is recorded on the face of the taximeter
• b) before beginning a journey for which a fare is charged for distance and time, bring the machinery of the taximeter into action by moving the said key or other device, so that the word "HIRED" is legible on the face of the taximeter and keep the machinery of the taximeter in action until the termination of the hiring
• c) cause the dial of the taximeter to be kept properly illuminated throughout any part of a hiring which is during the hours of darkness as defined for the purposes of the Road Traffic Act 1972, and also at any other time at the request of the hirer

A proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall not tamper with or permit any person to tamper with any taximeter with which the carriage is provided, with the fittings thereof, or with the seals affixed thereto.

The driver of a hackney carriage shall, when plying for hire in any street and not actually hired:

• a) proceed with reasonable speed to one of the stands appointed by the Council under the provisions of Section 63 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976
• b) if a stand, at the time of his arrival, is occupied by the full number of carriages authorised to occupy it, proceed to another stand
• c) on arriving at a stand not already occupied by the full number of carriages authorised to occupy it, station the carriage immediately behind the carriage or carriages on the stand and so as to face in the same direction
• d) from time to time when any other carriage immediately in front is driven off or moved forward cause his carriage to be moved forward to fill the place previously occupied by the carriage driven off or moved forward

A proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage, when standing or plying for hire, shall not, by calling out or otherwise, importune any person to hire such carriage and shall not make use of the services of any other person for the purpose.

The proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage who has agreed or has been hired to be in attendance with the carriage at an appointed time and place shall, unless delayed or prevented by some sufficient cause, punctually attend with such carriage at such appointed time and place.

A proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall not convey or permit to be conveyed in such carriage any greater number of persons than specified on the plate affixed to the outside of the carriage.

If a badge has been provided by the Council and delivered to the driver of a hackney carriage he shall, when standing or plying for hire, and when hired, wear that badge in such position and manner as to be plainly visible.

The driver of a hackney carriage shall:

• a) afford all reasonable assistance with the luggage of any person hiring or seeking to hire the carriage
• b) at all times behave in a civil and orderly manner
• c) take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of persons conveyed in, entering or alighting from the carriage driven by him
• d) not without the express consent of the hirer, smoke, drink or eat whilst driving the carriage
• e) not without the express consent of the hirer play any radio or sound reproducing instrument or equipment in the carriage other than for the purpose of sending or receiving messages in connection with the operation of the carriage
• f) at no time cause or permit the noise emitted by any radio or other said instrument or equipment in the carriage which he is driving to be a source of nuisance or annoyance to any person, whether inside or outside the carriage, and
• g) not convey in the carriage any animal belonging to him or in his custody or in the custody of the proprietor of the carriage

Provisions concerning the rates or fares to be paid for hackney carriage within the district and securing the due publication of such fares

The proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall be entitled to demand and take for the hire of the carriage the rate or fare prescribed by the Council under the provisions of Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Provided always that where a hackney carriage furnished with a taximeter shall be hired by distance the proprietor or driver thereof shall not be entitled to demand and take a fare greater than that recorded on the face of the taximeter, save for any extra charges authorised by the Council under the said provisions which it may not be possible to record on the face of the taximeter.

• a) the proprietor of a hackney carriage shall cause a statement of the fares fixed by the Council under the provisions of Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to be exhibited inside the carriage, in clearly distinguishable letters and figures
• b) the proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage bearing a statement of fares in accordance with this byelaw shall not wilfully or negligently cause or suffer the letters or figures in the statement to be concealed or rendered illegible at any time while the carriage is plying or being used for hire

Provisions securing the safe custody and re-delivery of any property accidentally left in a hackney carriage

The proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall immediately after the termination of any hiring, or as soon as practicable thereafter, carefully search the carriage for any property which may have been accidentally left therein.

The proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall, if any property accidentally left therein by any person who may have been conveyed in the carriage be found by or handed to him, carry it as soon as possible and in any event within 48 hours, if not sooner claimed by or on behalf of its owner to a Police Station in the District.

Penalties

Every person who shall offend against any of these Byelaws shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine not exceeding five pounds for each day during which the offence continues after conviction therefor.

Repeal of Byelaws

The Byelaws relating to hackney carriages which were made by the Mayor Lidermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Teesside on the 14th day, of January 1969 and which were confirmed by one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State on the 12th day of March 1969 are hereby repealed.

This is a true copy of the Byelaws with respect to Hackney Carriages made by the Council of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees and confirmed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 13th February 1981 and that the date fixed by him for the coming into operation of the Byelaws was 1st April 1981.