Hackney carriage vehicle specifications

Made by virtue of Section 4 of the Plymouth City Council Act 1975

Plymouth City Council may licence vehicles of a purpose built design for use as Hackney Carriages, and the body must be of a fixed head type and have a bulkhead partition. All such vehicles must have European Whole Vehicle Certification or Low Volume Type Approval, and have a category M1 classification. Such vehicles may be licensed to carry up to 8 persons providing the vehicle meets the requirements as laid down in these vehicle specifications and the Testing Addendum. Vehicles generically referred to as either 'saloon' or 'hatchback' or Multi Person Vehicle's (MPV’s), or derivatives of these vehicle types shall not be licensed by the Council. Any vehicle on being first licensed with Plymouth City Council must be wheelchair accessible.

All licensed vehicles must comply in all respects with the requirements of any Acts and Regulations relating to motor vehicles in force at the time of licensing. Including any requirements under Plymouth City Council bylaws, and conditions of licence.

The steering wheel and driving controls must be fitted to the offside of the vehicle.

All vehicles must have at least four doors and four wheels. Vehicles must also have available a serviceable spare wheel.

Windows must be provided at the sides and rear of the vehicle. Rear passenger door windows must be available for adjustment by passengers when required. Sunroofs will be permitted.

Passenger doors must be capable of being readily opened from inside and outside the vehicle by one operation of the latch mechanism. Central locking systems are permitted and must be in full working order. Double catches of approved types must be fitted to all doors. Sliding doors will be permitted, but such doors must have displayed a warning notice affixed securely to the inside of the door advising passengers to exercise caution when alighting from either side of the vehicle.

Seating capacities

• Where separate seats for each person are provided one person shall be counted for each separate seat.
• Where the vehicle is fitted with a continuous seat, one person shall be counted for each seating area provided that seat restraint belts are fitted for each position.
• The vertical distance between the highest point of the undeflected seat cushion and the top of the floor covering must not be less than 35cm.
• Where the seats are placed facing each other there must be a clear space of 38cm between any part of the front of a seat and any part of any other seat that faces it.
• Occasional (tip up) seats must be so arranged as to rise automatically when not in use.
• Suitable means must be provided to assist persons to rise from the rear seat.
• The front seat of a vehicle may be utilised for the use of conveying fare paying passengers, providing such seat is fitted by a suitably qualified mechanic, and provided such seat is fitted with a seat restraint belt. If the front seat is to be utilised in such a manner, the vehicle licence of the vehicle must reflect the additional passenger ie if the vehicle is currently licensed to carry 6 persons using the standard passenger compartment, then such a vehicle can be licensed to carry 7 persons if the front passenger seat is used. No person shall be permitted to be carried in the front seat as a passenger, over and above the permitted capacity displayed on the vehicle licence.
• The number of persons the vehicle is licensed to carry shall be permanently affixed and exhibited at all times on the outside of the vehicle in the form of the vehicle licence plate as issued by the Council, the licence plate shall bear the words 'licensed to carry up to … passengers'. Additionally an internal sticker shall be displayed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle bearing the licence number of the vehicle and the number of persons it is permitted to carry, with the same wording as prescribed above.

An adequate heating and ventilation system must be fitted for the driver and passengers and means provided for independent control by the driver and passengers.

Adequate lighting must be provided for the passenger’s compartment and must be capable of being controlled both by passengers and driver. Adequate lighting must also be provided in the driver compartment.

All body parts and trimmings that are manufacturers original equipment such as wheel trims, mirrors, bumpers, valances, fabrics, switches, internal and external door handles and locks must be fitted and in good working order.

All tyres and wheels (including the spare) must meet the legal requirements as to suitability for use on the vehicle and they must be kept in good order and at the correct pressures. A wheel brace and car jack to enable the effective change of tyre and wheel must be carried. The tyre must be of such a size so as to ensure the correct operation of the fare meter.

Any proprietor of a Hackney Carriage vehicle licensed by Plymouth City Council, wishing to display advertisements must conform to the requirements for advertising as required in the Hackney Carriage Vehicle licence conditions.

An illuminated taximeter of an approved type must be fitted in an approved position.

An illuminated 'Taxi' sign of approved design, clearly visible both by day and by night when the cab is not hired, must be fitted and in full working order.

A current fare table must be displayed in the approved fitting in a position which is clearly visible in the passenger compartment.

A current certificate of insurance (or copy) as required by the Acts or Regulations relating to motor vehicles, must be carried and securely affixed to the licensed cab in the approved position.

Any vehicle to be licensed must have a maximum step height of 43cm.

Cabs using automatic or semi-automatic transmission must be fitted with a device to prevent the engine starting with the transmission selector in a drive or reverse position.

Wheelchair accessible vehicles must have ramps or other approved devices readily available for use, to enable the loading of wheelchair passengers.

The vehicle including all fittings must be well maintained and kept clean inside and out. The vehicle will at all times be subject to test and inspection and may if not properly maintained, or any part is found to be defective or missing, be served with a notice prohibiting the use of the vehicle until the defect has been remedied. A set of spare lamps to allow the replacement of the following on the vehicle, headlamps, rear lamps, brake lights, directional indicators and reverse lamps must be carried in the vehicle at all times. It shall only be necessary to carry one bulb for each external lamp. It shall also be a requirement that a spare fuser for each fuse rating shall be carried in the vehicle at all times.

No vehicle shall be fitted with any form of additional film to darken or tint the glass on any part of the vehicle.

Video camera monitoring devices, for the purpose of assisting driver safety, shall be permitted. If such devices are fitted within the vehicle, adequate signage must be displayed in the passenger compartment advising passengers that they are being monitored/recorded. It will be the driver/proprietors responsibility to comply with all aspects of the law regarding such surveillance equipment.

Vehicles (commonly referred to as 'Eurocabs' or 'Eurotaxis') but being of such a design as approved by the Council, may be granted a licence providing all such vehicles meet the criteria above and the additional specifications herewith:

• all such vehicles must be wheelchair accessible, and be fitted with a bulkhead partition
• such vehicles being fitted with sliding doors, must have a motion locking device in operation to prevent the doors from being opened by passengers whilst the vehicle is in motion. The doors must also have a warning notice affixed securely to the inside of the door so as to be easily seen, advising passengers to exercise caution when alighting from the vehicle
• vehicles with sliding doors shall also have displayed an illuminated sign, clearly visible by day and by night, mounted on the rear of the vehicle in such a position so as to be readily seen by following traffic, but so as not to obscure the driver’s vision, indicating that the passenger doors are opening. The sign must be automatically linked to the passenger doors in order that when either door handle is activated to open the door, the sign is illuminated, and a warning device is activated in the driver compartment

These specifications will be applied to all vehicles presented for licensing on or after 7 September 2004, and supersede all previous documents relating to vehicle specifications made prior to this date.

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