Oxford City Council Byelaws with respect to Hackney Carriages

by Oxford City Council

CITY OF OXFORD

BYELAWS

MADE UNDER SECTION 68 OF THE TOWN POLICE CLAUSES ACT, 1847 AND SECTION 171 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1875, BY THE LORD MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND CITIZENS OF OXFORD, ACTING BY THE COUNCIL WITH RESPECT TO HACKNEY CARRIAGES IN THE CITY OF OXFORD.

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CITY OF OXFORD

BYELAWS made under Section 68 of the Town Police Clauses Act, 1847, and Section 171 of the Public Health Act, 1875, by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Citizens of Oxford, acting by the Council, with respect to HACKNEY CARRIAGES in the City of Oxford.

INTERPRETATION

1. Throughout these byelaws "the Council" means the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of Oxford, acting by the Council. and "the district" means the City of Oxford.

PROPRIETORS AND DRIVERS

2. Every proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall, at all times, when standing, plying, or driving for hire, conduct himself in an orderly manner. He shall also conduct himself with civility and propriety towards every person seeking to hire or hiring or being conveyed in such carriage. and shall comply with every reasonable requirement,of any person hiring or being conveyed in such carriage.

3. Every driver of a hackney carriage shall be clean in person and shall, when standing, driving or plying for hire, wear clean and respectable clothes.

4. The driver of a hackney carriage shall not at any time when driving for hir~ smoke without the permission of the person hiring or being conveyed in such carriage. 5. Every driver of a hackney carriage of a description for which stands are fixed by any byelaw in that behalf shall -

(a) if a stand~ at the time of his arrival is occupied by the full number of carriages authorised to occupy it~ proceed to another stand;

(b) on arriving at a stand not already occupied by the full number of carriages authorised to occupy it~ station the carriage immediately behind the carriage or carriages on the stand and so as to face in the same direction; .

(c) from time to time when any other carriage immediately in front is driven off or moved forward cause his carriage to be moved forward so as to fill the place previously occupied by the carriage driven ff or moved forward;

(d) whilst his carriage is the first carriage stationed on a stand constantly attend such carriage and be ready to be hired at once by any person.

6. Every proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage who shall have agreed or shall have been hired to be in attendance with the carriage at an appointed time and place~ shall~ unless delayed or prevented by some sufficient cause~ puntually attend with such carriage at such appointed time and place.

7. A driver of a hackney carriage shall not carry more than the number of passengers for which his carriage is lie ens ed to carry.

8. Every driver of a hackney carriage shall at all times when standing, plying, or driving for hire" wear attached to his outer clothing in such a manner as to be clearly visible a badge to be provided by the Council. He shall not permit any other person to wear such badge.

9. Every driver of a hackney caTriage shall when requested by any person hiring or seeking to hire the carriage -

(a) convey a reasonable quantity of luggage;

(b) afford reasonable assistance in loading and unloading;

(c) afford reasonable assistance in removing it to or from the entrance of any house" station" or place at which he may take up or set down such person.

10. Every proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage who shall knowingly convey in the carriage the dead body of any person shall" immediately thereafter" notify the fact to the Medical Officer of Health of the Council.

11. Every driver of a hackney carriage provided with a taximeter shall -

(a) when standing or plying for hire keep the flag or other device of the taximeter bearing the words "FOR fiRE" locked in the position in which the words are horizontal and legible;

(b) as soon as the carriage is hired by distance and before commencing the journey bring the machinery of the taximeter into action by moving the nag or other device so that the words are not conveniently legible.

12. A proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall not. with intent to deceive. tamper with or permit any person to tamper with any taximeter with which the carriage is provided.

HACKNEY CARRIAGES

13. (a) Every proprietor of a hackney carriage shall cause to be fixed to the rear of such carriage in such a manner as to be at all times plainly visible a metal plate bearing the number of such hackney carriage corresponding to its licence.

(b) The proprietor or driver shall not wilfully or negligently cause such number to be concealed from the public view when such carriage is standing. driving or plying for hire.

14. Every proprietor of a hackney carriage shall cause such carriage to be fitted with a taximeter so constructed. attached. and maintained as to comply with the following rules. viz:-

(i) The taximeter shall be fitted with a flag or other device bearing the words "FOR HIRE" on each side thereof in plain letters at least two inches in height. and the flag or other device shall be capable of being locked in a position in which the words are horizontal and legible;

(ii) when the flag or other device is so locked the machinery of the taximeter shall not be in action. and the means of bringing it into action shall be by moving the flag or other device so that the words are not conveniently legible;

(iii) when the flag or other device is so locked that the aforesaid words are horizontal and legible no fare shall be recorded on the face of the taximeter;

(iv) when the machinery of the taximeter is in action there shall be recorded on the face of the taximeter in clearly legible figures a fare not exceeding the rate or fare which the proprietor or driver is entitled to demand and take for the hire of the carriage by distance in pur.suance of the byelaw in that behalf;

(v) the word "FARE" shall be printed on the face of the taximeter in plain letters so as clearly to apply to the fare recorded thereon;

(vi) the taximeter shall be so placed that all letters and figures on the face thereof may be at all times plainly visible to any person being conveyed in the carriage. and for that purpose the letters and figures shall be suitably illuminated when the carriage is in use during the hours of darkness.

(vii) the taximeter and all the fittings thereof shall be so affixed to the carriage with seals or other appliances that it'shall not be practicable for any person -to tamper with them except by breaking. damaging. or permanently displacing the seals or other appliances.

15. No advertisements or written matter of any kind shall be exhibited on the inside or olltside of any hackney carriage except by special permission of the Council. Provided that this byelaw shall not apply to any sign which is required by law to be displayed in or upon such carriage.

STANDS

16. Each of the several places specified in the First Schedule to thes e byelaws shall be a stand for such number and description of hackney carriages as are specified in the said Schedule.

FARES AND OTHER CHARGES

17. The proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall be entitled to demand and take for the hire of the carriage the rate or fare prescribed by the table set out in the Second Schedule to these byelaws, the rate or fare being calculated by distance unless the hirer express at the commencement of the hiring his desire to engage by time. Provided always that where a hackney carriage furnished with a taximeter shall be hired by distance the proprietor or driver thereof shall not be entitled to demand and take a fare greater than that recorded on the face of the taximeter, save for any extra charges authorised by the table in the said Schedule which it may not .be possible to record on the face of the taximeter.

18. (1) Every proprietor of a hackney carriage plying for hire of a description for which any fares are fixed by any byelaw in that behalf shall -

(a) cause a statement of such fares to be displayed on the inside of the carriage. or on a plate affixed thereto. in clearly distinguishable letters and figures;

(b) renew such letters and figures as often as is necessary to keep them clearly visible.

(2) The proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage bearing a statement of fares in accordance with this byelaw shall not wilfully or negligently cause or suffer the letters or figures in the statement to be concealed ·or rendered illegible at any time while the carriage is plying or being used for hire.

19. In the case of journeys which end.or start outside the City boundary. the driver of every hackney carriage shall. before starting the journey. inform his passengers that the fares laid down by these byelaws do not apply and shall state the manner in which he proposes to assess the fare or quote the fare for the whole journey.

LOST PROPERTY

20. Every proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall. immediately after the termination of any hirin& carefully search the carriage for any property which may have been accidentally left therein.

21. Every proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage shall, if any property accidentally left therein by any person who may have been conveyed in the carriage be found by or handed to him -

(1) carry it within twenty-four hours, if not sooner claimed by or on behalf of its owner, to a Police Station, and leave it in the custody of the Police on obtaining a receipt for it;

(2) be entitled to receive from any person to whom the property shall be re-delivered an amount equal to one shilling in the pound of its estimated value but not more than five pounds or less than one shilling.

PENALTIES

22. Every proprietor or driver of a hackney carriage who shall offend against any of the foregoing byelaws shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of twenty pounds and in the case of a continuing offence to a further penalty of two pounds for each day after written notice of the offence from the Council: Provided~ nevertheless, that the justices or court before whom any complaint may be made or any proceedings may be taken in respect of any such offence may, if they think fit, adjudge the payment~ as a penalty, of any sum less than the full amount of the penalty imposed by this byelaw.

REPEAL OF BYELAWS

23. The byelaws relating to Hackney Carriages in the City of Oxford which were made by the Council,- (a) on the third day of June, 1929, and allowed by the Minister of Health on the first day of August, 1929;

(b) on the seventh day of June" 1937" and confirmed by the Minister of Health on the fourth day of August" 1937;

(c) on the twenty-first day of April" 1958" and confirmed by the Secretary of State on the ninth day of June" 1958; (d) on the sixteenth day of March" 1964" and confirmed by the Secretary of State on the 4th day of June, 1964;

are hereby repealed.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Stands for Hackney Carriages in the City of Oxford

Broad Street
High Street
St. Giles Street
Norham Road

On the north side of the road, from a point 282 feet east of the east kerbline of Magdalen Street East, extending in an easterly direction for a distance of 96 feet. For 6 carriage.

On the north side of the road, from a point 35 feet east of the east kerbline of Turl Street extending in an easterly direction for a distance of 36 feet. For 2 carriages. In the centre of the road, immediately to the north of the public lavatory. For 20 carriages.

On the south side of the road, from a point 185 feet east of the east kerbline of Banbury Road extending in an easterly direction for a distance of 36 feet. For 2 carriages.

Gloucester Green
Cowley Place

On the south perimeter road.. from a point 155 feet east of the east kerbline of Worcester Street.. extending in an easterly direction for a distance of 76 feet. For 5 carriages.

On the west side of the road.. from a point 76 feet south of the south kerbline of The Pla,i.n roundabout.. extending in a southerly direction for· a distance of K feet. For 4:'- 3 carriages.

SECOND SCHEDULE

FARES FOR DISTANCE

(i) Mileage s. d. If the distance does not exceed one mile for the whole distance If the distance exceeds one mile - for the first mile for subsequent mileage at the rate of

(ii) Waiting Time At the rate of Provided that any fare above shall be reckoned in multiples of

(Hi) Extra Charges

(a) For hirings begun between 12 p. m. midnight and 6 a.m. 4. O. 4. O. 1. 8. per mile reckoned in multiples of 4d., a fraction of 4d. to count as 4d. 10. O. per hour 4. O. 4. a fraction of 4d. to count as 4d. 1. O.

(b) For each article of lugga e conveyed outside the passenger compartment of the carriage

(c) For each wheeled vehicle carried outside the passenger compartment of the carriage

(d) For each person in excess of two (For the purposes of this paragraph two children under ten years of age to be regarded as one person and children under three years of age not to be reckoned).

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THE COMMON SEAL of THE)
LORD MAYOR ALDERMEN)
AND CITIZENS OF OXFORD )
was hereunto affixed by order )
of the Council in the presence )
of :- )
L. S.
(Sgd. ) A. T. BROWN
Town Clerk

Dated this seventh day of July One thousand Nine hundred and sixty-nine.

The Secretary of State this day confirmed the foregoing byelaws and fixed the date on which they are to come into operation as the 15th day of October, 1969.

(Sgd. ) N. CAIRNCROSS

An Assistant Under Secretary of State. ",. Home Office, Whitehall.

19th September, 1969.

PlIl:'rrED BY CITY OF OXFORD (OFPSET.LITROl