i am a private hire driver and the council have banned us from using a cityst but allow hackneys is this right

Question

are the council breaking any laws as we do the same job and pay the same money as hackneys for our license. and we are licensed to work in the city

Answer 1

i dont think they have actually broken any laws, we have the same situation in Cambridge where there are more bollards than anything else. they were gonna try and stop the private hires from getting in to town centre until they threatened to strike therefore leaving hundreds of late night revellers stranded for hours awaiting a cab. perhaps u should try this method. then the police will complain to them about people hanging around after closing time and the clubs therefore more potential for public disorder and that will make the idiots at the council ( after all they all are) to take notice.

Answer 2

In answer to your question Hackneys are licensed to pick up off the street and to sit in designated ranks.
Private hire are licenced to pick up at a prearranged address and while you are waiting on a hire you must sit on private land and not a public highway or hackney rank.
Hackneys have the right to ply for hire any where.
As for you saying you pay the same money I think you will find it costs more for a hackney license and taxi drivers badge than a private hire drivers plate and badge.
Read your rules and regulations supplied to you when you got your private plate and badge from your council it is all explained in them.

Answer 3

I don't know if this sort of differentiation is legal but it certainly isn't fair.
I'd start by writing politely to them and and asking why private hire drivers and hackney drivers are treated differently in this way. Once you've got that information you can see if there is any real reason for it. Always get information from them in writing and keep copies of anything you write.
Another thing which occurs to me is there a difference in race, religion or gender between the hackney companies and the private hire companies? If there are and this rule unintentionally favours 1 group over the other, then you have an argument for indirect discrimination.
Good luck anyway

Answer 4

sorry but whats a cityst? if you mean a city street and you were intending on waiting there for a fare to just walk upto you (not pre booked) then no they are not wrong because that's the difference between a hackney taxi and a private hire taxi

Answer 5

I do not know what council you work for but the hackneys in our borough pay less than us.And we are not allowed to use bus lanes but we can go down any street in our town except one.

Answer 6

Then why don't you apply for a Hackney License?

Answer 7

Ask your lawyer