Sheffield Hackney Taxis - Black Cab VS Eurocabs

[Eater Sundae]

I was about to start a thread to ask a few interconnected question, and this old thread came up so I thought I'd bump it and use it instead.

 

I always understood that black cabs had to be of a particular design, and meet certain criteria to be able to be plied for hire as hackney cabs. I don't know what the criteria was, but assumed it included such things as turning circle, a certain strength of construction etc, to allow use as a psv. As a result, anyone wanting to work as a cabbie had to buy one of these and could not just use a car as a cab. This partly explaind the separation between private hire cars and hackney carriages. Black cabs were therefore limited production, presumably hand made, and therefore expensive.

 

Now we have the Peugeot/Citroen/Fiat converted vans working as private hire hackney carriages. What, if anything, has changed?

Have the regulations covering hackney carriages changed to now allow these vehicles in?

Were they already allowed, but previously nobody had bothered to convert them?

Is it some sort of European Directive that now allows "equivalent" stuff from the rest of Europe?

Are the Eurocabs cheaper than normal black cabs, being from a more mass produced background?

Or was I wrong in the first place that hackney carriages were somehow special?

[Operationpig]

I don't like any black cab or euro, much prefer cars and i like to chat to the driver in comfort.

[Eater Sundae]

BUMP.

 

Can anyone answer my post #21?

 

Thanks.

[sccman]

EATER SUNDAE

 

I will try and answr your questions, all Councils are governed by the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 and the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 - for the purpose of Hakcney Carriage Vehicles, Private Hire Vehicles and Drivers of them.

 

The legal Definition of what can be a hackney carriage or a private hire are in these acts, it is fair to say that most councils have specifications for vehicles and do not have specific makes and models within those specifications, this allows the applicants a choice and does not lead to a closed or monopolised market by a certain manufacturer of vehicles.

 

Liverpool Council recently lost a High Court (high profile) case in 2009 on this very subject, as they had a policy that did not allow the "eurocab" they lost in Court on discrimination grounds

 

The Judge

 

Mr Justice Blake found that the restriction on use of the E7 taxi is contrary to Article 28 of the European Community Treaty. He also ruled that the Council had acted contrary to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Given that the E7 operates successfully across most of the UK without difficulty, the judge found that the restriction was not justified on safety grounds.

 

The private hire vehicle specification for Sheffield can be found on the Councils website, http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/business-economy/licensing/general-licensing/taxi-licensing

 

There doesnt appear that there is a hackney carriage specification listed on there, but this may be due to that fact that the Council in Sheffield has a limitation policy on hakcney carriage licenses.

 

Eurocabs as they are commonly called, can be less expensive then the traditional hackney carriage, but they can also be as dear when they start adding extras, they are more expensive in the down time when break downs occur as the parts are less accessible, and some have to be imported etc.

 

Traditonal cabs are all from the same manufactuer and therefore spares and repairs are a lot easy to do and come by,.

 

 

 

The Legal Definitions are below,

 

Section 38 Town Police clauses act states;

 

What vehicles are deemed to be a hackney carriages

 

"every wheeled carriage, whatever may be its form or construction, used in standing and plying for hire in any street within the prescribed distance, and every carriage standing upon a street within the prescribed distance, having thereon any numbered plate required by this special act to be fixed upon a hackney carriage, or having thereon any plate resembling or intended to resemble any suhc plate as aforesaid, shall be deemed to be a hackney carriage within the meaning of this act; and in proceedings at law or otherwise the term "hackney carriage" shall be sufficient to describe any such carriage; provided always that no stage coach used for the purpose of standing or plying for passengers to be carried for hire at separate fares. and duly licensed for that purpose, and having thereon the proper numbered plates required by law to be placed on such stage coaches, shall be deemed to be a hackney carriage within the meaning of this act."

 

 

To say that the legislation is antiquated and out of date some what is an understatement,

 

The 1976 Act Section 48 covers what type of vehicles have to be licensed if the Council receive an application, its states;

 

Provided that a district council shall not grant such a licence unless they are satisfied.

 

A, The vehicle is -

 

(i) suitable in type, size and design for use as a private hire vehicle

(ii) Not such a design and appearance as to lead any person to believe that the vehicle is a

hackney carriage

(iii) In a suitable mechanical condition

(iv) Safe and

(v) comfortable

 

 

Hope this helps with your question

 

 

 

Hope this helps with your question

[shaunfl]

The first Eurocab I used was in Canterbury about 7 or 8 years ago, it was based on the Mercedes V class and was very roomy and comfortable.

[Eater Sundae]

EATER SUNDAE

 

I will try and answr your questions, all Councils are governed by the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 and the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 - for the purpose of Hakcney Carriage Vehicles, Private Hire Vehicles and Drivers of them.

 

The legal Definition of what can be a hackney carriage or a private hire are in these acts, it is fair to say that most councils have specifications for vehicles and do not have specific makes and models within those specifications, this allows the applicants a choice and does not lead to a closed or monopolised market by a certain manufacturer of vehicles.

 

Liverpool Council recently lost a High Court (high profile) case in 2009 on this very subject, as they had a policy that did not allow the "eurocab" they lost in Court on discrimination grounds

 

The Judge

 

Mr Justice Blake found that the restriction on use of the E7 taxi is contrary to Article 28 of the European Community Treaty. He also ruled that the Council had acted contrary to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Given that the E7 operates successfully across most of the UK without difficulty, the judge found that the restriction was not justified on safety grounds.

 

The private hire vehicle specification for Sheffield can be found on the Councils website, http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/business-economy/licensing/general-licensing/taxi-licensing

 

There doesnt appear that there is a hackney carriage specification listed on there, but this may be due to that fact that the Council in Sheffield has a limitation policy on hakcney carriage licenses.

 

Eurocabs as they are commonly called, can be less expensive then the traditional hackney carriage, but they can also be as dear when they start adding extras, they are more expensive in the down time when break downs occur as the parts are less accessible, and some have to be imported etc.

 

Traditonal cabs are all from the same manufactuer and therefore spares and repairs are a lot easy to do and come by,.

 

 

 

The Legal Definitions are below,

 

Section 38 Town Police clauses act states;

 

What vehicles are deemed to be a hackney carriages

 

"every wheeled carriage, whatever may be its form or construction, used in standing and plying for hire in any street within the prescribed distance, and every carriage standing upon a street within the prescribed distance, having thereon any numbered plate required by this special act to be fixed upon a hackney carriage, or having thereon any plate resembling or intended to resemble any suhc plate as aforesaid, shall be deemed to be a hackney carriage within the meaning of this act; and in proceedings at law or otherwise the term "hackney carriage" shall be sufficient to describe any such carriage; provided always that no stage coach used for the purpose of standing or plying for passengers to be carried for hire at separate fares. and duly licensed for that purpose, and having thereon the proper numbered plates required by law to be placed on such stage coaches, shall be deemed to be a hackney carriage within the meaning of this act."

 

 

To say that the legislation is antiquated and out of date some what is an understatement,

 

The 1976 Act Section 48 covers what type of vehicles have to be licensed if the Council receive an application, its states;

 

Provided that a district council shall not grant such a licence unless they are satisfied.

 

A, The vehicle is -

 

(i) suitable in type, size and design for use as a private hire vehicle

(ii) Not such a design and appearance as to lead any person to believe that the vehicle is a

hackney carriage

(iii) In a suitable mechanical condition

(iv) Safe and

(v) comfortable

 

 

Hope this helps with your question

 

 

 

Hope this helps with your question

 

That's very helpful. Thanks very much