Enjoy the festivities by leaving the car at home. It is a great idea. But if you are paying for the lift, please make sure you are using a licensed taxi or minicab.
Wealden District Council works hard throughout the year to make sure licensed taxis and their drivers are safe and insured. Make sure your driver is properly licenced. The licence number should be displayed on the side door of the vehicle and a licence plate at the rear. All licensed drivers also carry a photo ID.
“Unfortunately at this time of year, fake taxi drivers try to earn money by charging for lifts,” said Councillor Nigel Coltman, Chairman of the Council’s Licensing Committee. “Licenced taxi and minicab drivers are subject to medical and criminal record checks. You do not know who you are getting into a car with if there is no badge on the side of the vehicle. The vehicle may not be roadworthy. The driver may want to do more than drive you home.
“It doesn’t take a moment to check that both the car and driver are licensed. In doing so you can stay safe and enjoy your Christmas and New Year.
“Or, to put it another way, No Plate, No Badge = NO RIDE.”
Posters highlighting the importance of only using licenced taxis and minicabs are being displayed in local pubs and clubs.
All licensed drivers with a Wealden licence undergo a strict application process. Once approved, they will only retain their licences if they can continue to pass regular medical and criminal record checks.
All taxis licensed by Wealden District Council are subject to annual insurance checks and a full mechanical inspection every six months.
Two types of taxis operate in Wealden:
Hackney Carriages can wait at taxi ranks or be stopped in the street. They must display a white roof sign, green licence badges on both side doors, and a white licence plate on the rear of the vehicle. Every Hackney Carriage also carries a meter, which will be activated when the driver pulls away.
Lifts in Private Hire vehicles, which display yellow door badges and licence plates, have to be pre-arranged through a licensed Private Hire Operator. A fixed set of charges apply to Hackney Carriages. These should be displayed inside the vehicle. Details of the current Hackney Carriage tariffs are also available on the Wealden website.
Rear licence plates display the licence number, make and model of the vehicle, its registration number, and the number of passengers it is licensed to carry. Please do not embarrass the driver by asking them to exceed the passenger number.
If you have any concerns about a taxi please email licensing@rother.gov.uk .
