Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing
Cheshire West and Chester Council currently licences two
different categories of vehicle for transportation. They are:
and
But what is the difference? Below you will find a brief
summary of the two categories, if you would like to know more you
can use the link below to either of the categories.
Latest News!
Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Newsletter
Please use the link below to read the latest edition.
Taxi and
Private Hire Licensing Newsletter August 2009 (171Kb)
Minutes of the latest meeting
Please use the link below to read the minutes of the latest
meeting.
Hackney and
Private Hire Forum Minutes 22nd October 2009 (PDF 93Kb)
Hackney Carriage or Taxi Licences
Visit the Hackney Carriages section
Hackney Carriages were named for the first examples of this type
of service, black carriages drawn by horses operating in
London from as early as 1625. The word Taxi comes from the
Taximeter invented by Wilhelm Brune in 1891; the device used to
calculate the distance travelled and the fare for the journey.
Today, the primary difference between Hackney Carriages and
Private Hire Vehicles is that Hackney Carriages are able to pick
people up from any location within their Licensing District without
a prior booking being made.
For more information on Hackney Carriage Licences, including
Applications Forms, Guidance and Fees information, please use
the link above.
Private Hire Licences
Visit the Private Hire Licences section
Private Hire Licensing was introduced in 1976 as part of the
Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of that year. It
was introduced to regulate the growing number of drivers and
vehicles performing Hire and Reward functions without any vetting
or controls.
Private Hire Drivers can only transport members of the public
who have booked the journey through a Licensed Private Hire
Operator, the journey must be conducted in a licensed (And
therefore specially tested) Private Hire Vehicle and driven by
a Licensed Private Hire Driver who has undergone the appropriate
vetting procedures.
For more information on Private Hire Licensing, including
Application Forms, Guidance and Fees information, please use the
link above.