Notice - Hackney carriage byelaws

Notice of intention to apply for confirmation of new Hackney carriage byelaws in accordance with section 236 of the Local Government Act 1972

Notice is hereby given that North Northamptonshire Council intends to apply for confirmation of new Hackney carriage byelaws made under Section 68 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and Section 171 of the Public Health Act 1875, to the Secretary of State for the Department for Transport.

The new byelaws shall permit Hackney carriages licensed by North Northamptonshire Council to ply for hire within the whole District of North Northamptonshire.

Copies of the byelaws may be viewed at www.northnorthants.gov.uk and at the following council offices for the period of one month, commencing 30 January 2025 until 1 March 2025.

Council offices

  • The Corby Cube, George Street, Parklands Gateway, Corby, NN17 1QG
  • Municipal Offices, Bowling Green Road, Kettering, NN15 7QX
  • The Rushden Resource Centre, Newton Road, Rushden, NN10 0PT
  • Thrapston Office, Cedar Drive, NN14 4LZ
  • Tithe Barn, Tithe Barn Road, Wellingborough, NN8 1BZ

The byelaws will come into effect one month after it has been confirmed by the Department for Transport or on a date specified by the council.

Written representations about the byelaws, including any objections should be sent via email by 1 March 2025, to [email protected].

Alternative arrangements can be made for those unable to access email.

Dated: 30 January 2025
Iain Smith
Assistant Director Regulatory Services

Made under section 68 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, and section 171 of the Public Health Act 1875, by the council of North Northamptonshire with respect to taxis in North Northamptonshire.

lnterpretation

1. Throughout these byelaws "the council" means North Northamptonshire Council and "the district" means North Northamptonshire.

2. "Taxi" means a hackney carriage as defined in section 38 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.

Provisions regulating the way the number of each taxi corresponding with the number of its licence, shall be displayed.

3. The proprietor of a taxi shall cause the number of the licence granted in respect of the taxi to be legibly painted or marked on the outside and inside of the taxi, or on plates affixed thereto.

4. A proprietor or driver of a taxi shall:

(a) not wilfully or negligently cause or suffer any such number to be concealed from public view while the taxi is standing or plying for hire
(b) not cause or permit the taxi to stand or ply for hire with any such painting marking or plate so defaced that any figure or material is illegible

Provisions regulating how taxis are to be furnished or provided.

5. The proprietor of a taxi shall:

(a) provide sufficient means by which any person in the taxi may communicate with the driver
(b) cause the roof or covering to be kept watertight
(c) provide any necessary windows and a means of opening and closing not less than one window on each side
(d) cause the seats to be properly cushioned or covered
(e) cause the floor to be provided with a proper carpet, mat or other suitable covering
(f) cause the fittings and furniture generally to be kept in a clean condition, well maintained and in every way fit for public service
(g) provide means for securing luggage if the taxi is so constructed as to carry luggage
(h) provide at least two doors for the use of persons conveyed in such taxi and a separate means of ingress and egress for the driver'

6. The proprietor of a taxi shall cause the same to be provided with a taximeter so constructed, attached and maintained as to comply with the following requirements, that is to say:

(a) the word "hired" to appear on the face of the taximeter when in action
(b) the taximeter shall be capable of being locked in such a position that it is not in action and that no fare is recorded on the face of the taximeter
(c) when the taximeter is in action there shall be recorded on the face of the taximeter in clearly legible figures, a fare not exceeding the rate or fare which the proprietor or driver is entitled to demand and take for the hire of the taxi by
time as well as for distance in pursuance of the tariff fixed by the council
(d) the word "fare" shall be displayed on the face of the taximeter in plain letters so as clearly to apply to the fare recorded thereon
(e) the taximeter shall be so placed that all letters and figures on the face thereof are always plainly visible to any person being conveyed in the taxi, and for that purpose the letters and figures shall be capable of being suitably
illuminated during any period of hiring
(f) the taximeter and all the fittings thereof shall be so affixed to the taxi with seals or other appliances that it shall not be practicable for any person to tamper with them except by breaking, damaging or permanently displacing the seals or other appliances

Provisions regulating the conduct of the proprietors and drivers of taxis plying within the district in their several employments, and determining whether such drivers shall wear any and what badges.

7. The driver of a taxi provided with a taximeter shall:

(a) when standing or plying for hire, keep the device fitted in pursuance of the byelaw in that behalf locked in the position in which no fare is recorded on the face of the taximeter
(b) before beginning a journey for which a fare is charged for distance and time, bring the taximeter into action so that the word "hired" is legible on the face of the taximeter and keep it in action until the termination of the hiring
(c) cause the display of the taximeter to be kept properly illuminated throughout any part of a hiring which is between half-an-hour after sunset and half-an-hour before sunrise, and also at any other time at the request of the hirer.

8. A proprietor or driver of a taxi shall not tamper with or permit any person to tamper with any taximeter with which the taxi is provided, with the fittings thereof, or with the seals affixed thereto.

9. The driver of a taxi shall, when plying for hire in any street and not actually hired:

(a) proceed with reasonable speed to one of the stands appointed by the council
(b) if a stand, at the time of their arrival, is occupied by the full number of taxis authorised to occupy it, proceed to another stand
(c) on arriving at a stand not already occupied by the full number of taxis authorised to occupy it, station the taxi immediately behind the taxi or taxis on the stand and so as to face in the same direction
(d) from time to time, when any other taxi immediately in front is driven off or moved forward cause their taxi to be moved forward so as to fill the place previously occupied by the taxi driven off or moved forward

10. A proprietor or driver of a taxi, when standing or plying for hire, shall not make use of the services of any other person for the purpose of importuning any person to hire such taxi.

11. The driver of a taxi shall behave in a civil and orderly manner and shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of persons conveyed in or entering or alighting from the vehicle.

12. The proprietor or driver of a taxi who has agreed or has been hired to be in attendance with the taxi at an appointed time and place shall, unless delayed or prevented by some sufficient cause, punctually attend with such taxi at such
appointed time and place.

13. A proprietor or driver of a taxi shall not convey or permit to be conveyed in such taxi any greater number of persons than the number of persons specified on the plate affixed to the outside of the taxi.

14. If a badge has been provided by the council and delivered to the driver of a taxi they shall, when standing or plying for hire, and when hired, wear that badge in such position and manner as to be plainly visible.

15. The driver of a taxi so constructed as to carry luggage shall, when requested by any person hiring or seeking to hire the carriage:

(a) convey a reasonable quantity of luggage
(b) afford reasonable assistance in loading and unloading
(c) afford reasonable assistance in removing it to or from the entrance of any building, station or place at which they may take up or set down such person 

Provisions fixing the rates or fares to be paid for taxis within the district and securing the due publication of such fares.

16. The proprietor or driver of a taxi shall be entitled to demand and take for the hire of the taxi the rate or fare prescribed by the council, the rate or fare being calculated by a combination of distance and time unless the hirer express at the commencement of the hiring their desire to engage by time.

17. Where a taxi furnished with a taximeter is hired by distance and time the proprietor or driver thereof shall not be entitled to demand and take a fare greater than that recorded on the taximeter, save for any extra charges authorised by the council which it may not be possible to record on the face of the taximeter.

18. The proprietor of a taxi shall cause a statement of the fares fixed by council resolution to be exhibited inside the taxi, in clearly distinguishable letters and figures.

19. The proprietor or driver of a taxi bearing a statement of fares in accordance with this byelaw shall not wilfully or negligently cause or suffer the letters or figures in the statement to be concealed or rendered illegible at any time while the taxi is plying or being used for hire.

Provisions securing the safe custody and re-delivery of any property accidentally left in taxis, and fixing the charges to be made in respect thereof.

20. The proprietor or driver of a taxi shall immediately after the termination of any hiring, or as soon as practicable thereafter, carefully search the taxi for any property which may have been accidentally left therein.

21. The proprietor or driver of a taxi shall, if any property accidentally left therein by any person who may have been conveyed in the carriage be found by or handed to them:

(a) carry it as soon as possible and in any event within 48 hours if not sooner claimed by or on behalf of its owner, to a police station in the district and leave it in the custody of the officer in charge of the office on their giving a receipt for it
(b) be entitled to receive from any person to whom the property shall be redelivered an amount equal to five pence in the pound of its estimated value (or the fare for the distance from the place of finding to the office of the council, whichever be the greater) but not more than five pounds.

Penalties

22. Every person who shall offend against any of these byelaws shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Level 2 on the Standard Scale and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine not exceeding two pounds for each day during which the offence continues after conviction therefor.

Repeal of Byelaws

23. The byelaws relating to taxis which were made by Corby Borough Council are hereby repealed.

24. The byelaws relating to taxis which were made by East Northamptonshire Council are hereby repealed.

25. The byelaws relating to taxis which were made by Kettering Borough Council are hereby repealed.

26. The byelaws relating to taxis which were made by the Borough Council of Wellingborough are hereby repealed.

These Byelaws are made on 16 January 2025 by affixing the Common Seal of North Northamptonshire Council.

The Common Seal of North Northamptonshire Council was affixed hereunto in the presence of

Authorised Signatory
Sarah Coles
Senior Lawyer

The Secretary of State this day confirmed the foregoing byelaws and fixed the date on which they are to come into operation as the.

Last updated 30 January 2025