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Gedling Borough Council is working with the Local Government Association (LGA) to raise awareness of the dangers of using unlicensed taxis.
People are potentially taking their lives in their hands when they use unlicensed taxis, and as more people tend to go out during the summer months the numbers of unlicensed taxis grows, some of which are on the roads simply to prey on lone women.
Gedling Borough Council and the LGA are urging people to take some simple precautions to make sure they do not use unlicensed taxis.
A free leaflet, “The Safe Ride Guide” has been produced by Gedling Borough Council with a number of hints and tips for spotting unlicensed taxis, and protecting yourself when looking for a taxi – especially at night or when going home alone.
All taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) which can carry up to eight passengers, including stretch limousines and chauffeur driven cars, must be licensed by the Council. All taxi drivers must also be licensed, which involves a criminal record check. Only licensed taxis can 'ply for hire' at ranks or be hailed in the street, whereas PHVs or minicabs need to be booked in advance.
The Office of Fair Trading has identified that 7% of adults - or 1.8 million people - used an illegal taxi in 2002 and although the percentage of people using bogus cabs is believed to have dropped, they still pose a threat to unsuspecting people.
Cllr Hazel Harding, Chair of the Safer Communities Board of the Local Government Association, a cross-party organisation representing more than 400 councils in England and Wales said:
"During the summer people go to concerts, restaurants and bars more often, and are more likely to let their guard down, particularly if they've had alcohol. Although everyone should enjoy themselves, there are a few precautions people can take, such as ringing for a licensed taxi when they are thinking about going home."
"Unlicensed taxis offer no protection for those who use them, while minicabs who ply for hire are also operating illegally. If you are involved in an accident and the vehicle and driver are not licensed, you might not be insured."
"Every year we read of assaults, robberies, rapes and even deaths as a result of people using these bogus cabs. For women travelling alone, getting into an unlicensed taxi can be no different to getting into the car of a kerb crawler."
"Councils help get people safely through the day and are reporting success in weeding out these opportunists, but they will continue to operate if they know people will use them."
·Always try to make sure someone knows where you are going and what time you expect to be home and if your plans change, let somebody know.
·Before you book your taxi, ask the operator if the vehicle and driver are licensed with the local authority, and check which council.
·Pre-book your taxi and remember to ask the driver who they are waiting for.
·Take the phone number of a licensed cab company with you and ring for a taxi when you are thinking about leaving.
·Make sure that your mobile phone is charged, switched on at all times and with credit.
·Sit behind the driver if possible.
·Always check for an official identification plate on the vehicle and ensure that the driver is wearing appropriate ID.
For a copy of the free leaflet, download it here (Pdf document size 394 KB) or contact 0115 901 3895 or order it from the Council’s Licensing Section, Gedling Borough Council, Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold, Notts NG5 6LU.
Taxis (Hackney Carriages), and Private Hire Vehicles together with their drivers and Private Hire Operators are licensed by local authorities. Licensing provides a visible assurance to the public that the vehicle has been checked every six months for safety and that the driver has been checked medically, and is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. Drivers take a driving test and have a criminal records check undertaken on them before their licence is issued.
The main difference between Taxis (Hackney Carriages) and Private Hire vehicles is that taxis can ply for hire, i.e. the vehicle and driver are immediately available for hire, whilst private vehicles must be booked in advance, through a licensed operator. Authorities in London also licence minicabs.
The Council can add conditions to the licences it issues and take steps to ensure that the conditions are complied with. The Authority, working with other local authorities and the Police, also strives to detect and prevent unlicensed taxis and private hire vehicles from operating in the area. Drivers can appeal against the decision of the committee to the Magistrates’ Court. The Licensing Office investigates complaints about licensed drivers and operators. The Environment and Licensing Committee meets regularly to decide upon contentious applications.
Each licensed vehicle is issued with a licence plate, updated every six months and which must be fixed to the rear of the vehicle. Licensed drivers are issued with a photographic I.D. badge, which must be worn at all times whilst acting as the driver of a licensed vehicle.
You can download a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers application form from here (Pdf document size 189 KB) which contains details of the appropriate fees. A copy of the Operators application form can be downloaded here and which also contains details of the current fee (Pdf document size 278 KB).
Application forms can alternatively be obtained from our Licensing Office (see our main Licensing Office page for contact details).Our Licensing Office are also happy to answer your queries concerning licensing matters. You will need to contact our Licensing Office to obtain a numbered Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) application form (issued by the CRB to local authorities) and a release information form that is sent to the DVLA. You can download a DVLA release information form here (Pdf document size 84 KB).
A copy of the current vehicle age limit policy can be downloaded here pdf document size 71KB.
You can obtain a copy of the current vehicle testing manual here pdf document size 429 KB. In addition a copy of the vehicle testing notes may be downloaded from here pdf document size 54 KB which provides information on the vehicle specification, age policy and testing manual.
Total cost for a new driver application £195.25.
Total vehicle cost (six months) £110.50.
Changes on private hire and taxi licensing are being introduced by Gedling Borough Council as a result of a change in national legislation by the Government.
Limousines, airport travel, chauffeur services, novelty vehicles, executive hire, park and ride and other operators will have to be licensed by the Council by the end of January 2008.
New licensing laws mean the Council can carry out safety checks on vehicles and their drivers to ensure public safety. People hiring vehicles will be safer in the knowledge that businesses are licensed and drivers have been Criminal Records Bureau vetted by the Council.
Vehicle operators must now contact the Council as soon as possible. Businesses and drivers working whilst not properly licensed could face prosecution, with significant fines and costs. Vehicles previously exempted from being licensed under seven-day contracts now come under the new laws and must be licensed by the Council for the area they operate in. The full contact details for the Licensing Office at Gedling Borough Council can be found on our main Licensing page.
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