Hackney Carriage (Taxi)
A 'Hackney Carriage' is more commonly called a Taxi. A Council may decide to regulate the number of Hackney Carriage licences it issues, or may deregulate. Bradford will regulate the number of licences to 224 in number, and will review the situation in 2009.
This licence issued by the Council is required for any hire vehicle that will ply for hire, be flagged down or hired at a taxi rank. Once licensed a taxi is always a taxi until the licence expires. These vehicles must be in white livery, and must display a green diagonal stripe and the Council's crest on both front doors of the vehicle. A roof sign, approved by the Council (currently green and red) must be affixed to the vehicle. The identification plate provided by the Council bearing the number of the licence granted in respect of the taxi must be affixed on the external surface of the taxi so as to be readily visible from the rear.
Hackney Carriage fares are regulated by the Council. The taximeter provided in the vehicle must only display the tariffs contained in the table of fares approved by the Council, and must be displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle when in use. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are exempt from this condition because the meter is permanently fixed into the centre top part of the windscreen of the vehicle.
All Hackney Carriage vehicles are inspected at least once per annum to a standard determined by the Council.
Application forms and conditions and procedures are currently being reviewed in the light of current legislation and recent decisions of the Regulatory and Appeals Committee.
Copies of application forms and conditions and procedures in force may be obtained by contacting the Hackney Carriage Unit.
