Taxi complaints and compliments

All licensed taxis (hackney carriages) have a distinctive licence plate on the rear of the vehicle.   A private hire vehicle will also have distinctive yellow stickers on the front doors indicating that the vehicle can only be pre-booked.

All Hackney Carriage Vehicles in Plymouth are 100 per cent wheelchair accessible. However, individual drivers may have a valid medical exemption. There's a small number of private hire vehicles that are also wheelchair accessible. More information is on our transporting a wheelchair user page.

It's a criminal offence for drivers of designated taxi and specified private hire vehicles to refuse to carry passengers in wheelchairs, to fail to provide them with appropriate assistance or to charge them extra. However, this does not apply to drivers who have a valid medical exemption certificate and are displaying a valid exemption notice in their vehicle.

All drivers must explain the reason why they can't take you and should help you to find a vehicle that can transport you.

Always check that your driver is wearing a photo ID badge which should be worn on a lanyard or armband and must be clearly visible at all times.

If you have pre-booked your journey, the driver should know your name and destination.  If this is not the case, do not enter the vehicle; double check your booking with the operator, and if you are concerned, take note of the plate and registration numbers and report to a police officer or report it using our online taxi complaint form. 

If you have the plate or badge number, you can check our online register.

Individuals sometimes use social media sites to advertise taxi services that are not properly licensed. Anyone using these services place their personal safety at risk, as these individuals do not have the correct licences in place. Also, the driver will not have received a criminal record check and the vehicle may not be roadworthy or insured. 

All vehicles licensed must:

• have twice yearly mechanical checks to ensure they are roadworthy
• be properly insured for use as a licensed vehicle
• Only be driven by licensed drivers who have to go through training and a series of checks to make sure they are ‘fit and proper.’

As a passenger of a licensed vehicle, you should expect:

• the vehicle will be clean, inside and out
• the driver will be clean, courteous and helpful
• the driver will be licensed and the driver will wear his licence badge at all times
• the driver will not smoke or use his mobile phone whilst you are in the car
• you will be taken to your destination by the most direct route
• you will be driven safely in accordance with the law
• you can pay by cash or card for any journey
• your journey request will be accepted (unless there is a reasonable excuse not to)
• the vehicle will be checked at the end of the journey and any items of lost property logged for return

The driver of a licensed vehicle can expect you to:

• be courteous
• behave in a way that will not damage or soil the vehicle
• wear a seat belt and ensure that any children with them wear seat belts
• comply with the reasonable requests of the driver, particularly where they relate to the safety of the passenger
• not drink alcohol or smoke in the vehicle
• pay the metered fare at the end of the journey
• take their property with them when they leave the vehicle