UNITE VIEWPOINT
UNITE ASKS: ARE THESE LICENSING AUTHORITIES AND THEIR OFFICERS ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’
Article by Mick Sweeney Shop Steward, Unite The Union
www.unitetheunion.org
"ROLL UP, ROLL UP, GET YOUR TICKETS HERE, THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN”
In my 14 years of being a Unite The Union shop steward I have never witnessed such an abject lack of enforcement from local authorities namely, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council (RBBC) and Horsham District Council!
I’m a hackney proprietor licensed in Horsham, West Sussex. Our Unite the Union Taxi members are extremely angry: the fury comes from seeing an increasing number of private hire drivers now working in Horsham who are actually licensed by RBBC.
This gives our licensing department no authority or control over these drivers. In previous emails to both councils we have complained about them sitting on ranks and parking up near high footfall areas in town around bars, restaurants etc.
Fast forward to the latest escapade of a ‘licensed’ private hire driver from Reigate & Banstead. He seems to think that it’s OK to impersonate a hack- ney carriage vehicle by displaying a roof sign bearing the word
“TAXI” Horsham!
This is of course clearly illegal (ask a 10 year old) and was reported to both RBBC and Horsham DC on 19 June. The vehicle was spotted again two days later on the 21 June, by another member dropping off at Horsham station with his TAXI roof sign still displayed on his private hire vehicle.
32 in
Given that RBBC has been duly charged with the legal DUTY of “Taxi” licensing for the licences that it has issued and that Horsham DC has the same DUTY for the “Controlled District” of Horsham (where the offences are being committed and the public is being endangered), isn’t it a fair appraisal to accuse both authorities of a gross dereliction of DUTY together with a scant regard for PUBLIC SAFETY!?
JULY 2024 PHTM
Clearly his local authority has not used its powers and taken immediate enforcement action against him.
For clarification, the relevant acts are: Local Government Miscellaneous Act 1976 Section 48: (Licensing of private hire vehicles.)
1a(ii) not of such design and appearance as to lead any person to believe the vehicle is a hackney carriage.
Also: Transport Act 1980 Section 64 : Roof-signs on vehicle other than taxis.
(1) There shall not, in any part of England and Wales outside the metropolitan police district and the City of London, be displayed on or above the roof of any vehicle which is used for carrying passengers for hire or reward but which is not a taxi—
(a) any sign which consists of or includes the word “taxi” or “cab”, whether in the singular or plural, or “hire”, or any word of similar meaning or appear- ance to any of those words, whether alone or as part of another word; or
(b) any sign, notice, mark, illumination or other feature which may suggest that the vehicle is a taxi.
The biggest risk is members of the public being led to believe it is a taxi and does not need to be pre booked. Add to this the absence of sufficient insurance to cover the general public for public hire.
Another complaint was sent to RBBC on 24 June to which, as I write no reply has been received. So, two complaints involving a clear breach endangering the safety of the public and the council responsible remains silent, both in terms of a written response and perhaps infinitely more worryingly, enforcement action!
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