General Guidance on private hire law.

With the school holidays coming to an end most of us are returning to work if not in mind then in body. This is not something that we are looking forward to but it has to be done. This is also the time that we all go back and review the services that we currently purchase and try to decide if the decision to use them in the first place was the correct one. Our expertise lies in Chauffeur Hire in London and this week I will try to out line what you should be looking for in the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. Over the next few weeks I will explain to you why the Act came into being and all the benefits it gives you as a user of chauffeur driven cars. The Act provides the legal power for the licensing and regulation of private hire operators, drivers and vehicles. Private hire vehicles include a range of vehicles including minicabs, executive cars, limousines and chauffeur services.

This week we will concentrate on the Private Hire Operators who supply Chauffeur Hire.
The Private Hire vehicles operator is the ONLY person with whom the passenger books the journey and it is the operator's responsibility to see that it is carried out safely and efficiently. A responsible operator will know its drivers and its cars. The operator has the legal responsibility to keep records of the driver's licences, insurance, car details and will know when it is due for its mot tests. The operator must also keep proper records of journey bookings, who undertook them and all quoted fare.

Only a licenced operator can accept a booking and dispatch a private hire vehicle to a customer. An operator can only accept bookings and dispatch private hire vehicles from the premises mentioned in his PHV operators licence.

London Chauffeur Hire drivers can only carry out private hire bookings through a licenced operator. London Chauffeur Hire drivers who undertake work that has not been booked through a PHV operator are committing the offence of touting for which they may be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500.00 and also have their drivers licence suspended or revoked.

That about tells you what we as operators are expected to abide to, the rest is down to you. All we can say is that Browns Chauffeur Hire follow the rules to the T. Please note that you as a customer should be giving the bookings to the office as well as the driver if you feel it necessary.

Next week week I will go through the requirements of a PHV driver.

Over the last few days we have seen the revelations that Cricket is rife with alleged corruption. Something that we as a society should not allow because today it may be cricket tomorrow football and then Government. WE must insist that the culprits are punished most severely and where necessary jailed for their part. We cannot afford for this type of thing to creep into the British way of life. We must stop it at its infancy as soon as possible. Having said that we still spanked them good and proper now bring on the Aussies.
The teams have been announced for the Ryder Cup and the event is almost upon us. Are you ready for it. Are you going to attend Celtic Manor if so how are you getting there? Call us and we will make your travel plans for you.

Have a good week and be careful out there.