These conditions of licence are made by virtue of Section 13(3) of the Plymouth City Council Act 1975. These conditions of licence apply to all private hire operators licensed on or after the effective date of 01 May 2022 and supersede all previous conditions of licence
General Information
The conditions of licence contained herein are made by virtue of section 9 (2) of the Plymouth City Council Act 1975. Failure to comply with a condition of your driver licence could render the licence subject to a review, and ultimately to it being revoked.
It is important for drivers of private hire vehicles to ensure that they are familiar with these standard conditions of licence and any special conditions that may be attached to the licence once granted. The licence holder is considered to have accepted these conditions of licence when being granted a private hire driver licence unless a condition(s) is withdrawn or varied by a Magistrates court upon appeal by the licence holder.
Private hire driver licences are granted for 1 year or such greater period, not being greater than 3 years, as may be determined by the Council; these conditions shall be applicable for the duration of the licence.
Any special conditions of licence shall be attached at the time of the grant of the licence by the Council or may be attached to the licence at a subsequent time during the licence period where circumstances require.
Terms
In these licence conditions:
- ‘Authorised Officer’ means any Officer of the Council authorised in writing for the purposes of the Plymouth City Council Act 1975 and 87.
- ‘The Council’ means Plymouth City Council.
- ‘Vehicle’ means a vehicle licensed by virtue of section 5 of the Plymouth City Council Act 1975 for the purposes of providing private hire services.
- ‘Driver badge’ means the badge issued by the Council for the purposes of identifying the driver as a private hire driver duly licensed by the Council.
- ‘Operator’ means the person(s) named upon the licence who is responsible for the contract of hire
for every journey undertaken by a private hire vehicle, made by virtue of the operator’s licence.
Conditions of Licence – Private Hire Driver
- The licensed driver must notify the Licensing Office in writing of any alteration to their declared circumstances within 7 days of such alteration, which might affect the accuracy of the information set out below:
- Change of address;
- Change of office from which they operate;
- Conviction in a court of law in respect of any Motoring and/or Criminal Offences following the grant of a licence;
- Injury or illness sustained since the grant of a licence that may affect their driving ability; (e) Any motoring fixed penalty endorsement received.
- The licensed driver who drives a licensed private hire vehicle for hire and reward other than through or by virtue of his own operator’s licence, must deposit a copy of their private hire drivers licence with their operator for the duration of that contract. On termination of that contract the operator will return the copy licence to the licensed driver.
- A driver of a licensed private hire vehicle is required to produce a Medical Certificate duly completed and signed by a registered medical practitioner, who has sight of that person’s full medical records stating that the licence holder meets the required DVLA Group II medical standard. A Medical Certificate is required at first application; and then upon reaching 45 years of age; and then every five years thereafter until age 70.
- Once a licence driver reaches 70 years of age, they must provide the Council with a medical certificate duly signed by a registered medical practitioner stating that they meet the required DVLA Group II medical standard on an annual basis.
- A licensed driver must provide the Medical Certificate at the time of renewal of their licence, or at any time on request. At any time during the term of a licence, a licensed driver may be required to submit to a further medical examination where the Council receive information or consider it a reasonable request to ensure that the licensed driver is medically fit.
- A licensed driver or proprietor of a private hire vehicle must, if any property is accidentally left therein by any passenger conveyed in that vehicle, deposit it with their operator for safekeeping.
- A licensed driver of a private hire vehicle must, when requested by any person hiring or seeking to hire the vehicle provide;
- Reasonable assistance in loading and or unloading the belongings of the hirer;
- Reasonable assistance in removing the belongings to or from the entrance of any house, station or place at which he may take up or set down such person.
- A licensed driver of a private hire vehicle must:
- Behave in a civil and orderly manner and must take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of persons conveyed in or entering or alighting from the vehicle;
- Not without the express consent of the hirer play any radio or sound reproducing equipment in the vehicle other than for the purpose of sending or receiving messages in connection with the operation of the vehicle;
- At no time cause or permit the noise emitted by any radio or sound reproducing equipment in the vehicle which he is driving or in control of, to be the source of annoyance to any person, whether inside or outside the vehicle.
- Not operate the vehicle horn for the purpose of signalling to the hirer that the vehicle has arrived.
- A licensed driver must wear their driver’s identification badge in a manner that is plainly visible and present it for inspection when requested to do so by an authorised officer of the Council or Police officer, or any other person legitimately requiring the same. Upon the expiry of the drivers licence, the badge must be returned to the Council forthwith. If the licence is suspended, revoked or renewal is refused, by virtue of Section 19 of the Plymouth City Council Act 1975, then the provisions of that section must apply.
- A drivers badge remains the property of the Council at all times.
- If the licensed driver loses their drivers badge, issued by the Council the loss must be reported to the Licensing Office within 48 hours of the loss.
Taxi Licensing contact information
Taxi Licensing Office
Plymouth City Council
Ballard House
West Hoe Road
Plymouth
PL1 3BJ
Email: taxi.licensing@plymouth.gov.uk
Website: Taxi licensing | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK