App based companies

Private hire booking

All private hire vehicle journeys must be pre-booked through a licensed private hire vehicle operator and are subject to a ‘triple licensing lock’. This means the operator fulfilling the booking must use vehicles and drivers licensed by the same authority as that which granted its licence.

Following the relaxation on sub-contracting rules for private hire vehicles that came into effect on 1 October 2015, any operator can also sub-contract bookings to other licensed private hire operators in other local authority areas so that the operator can send an appropriately licensed vehicle and driver.

There is nothing in the legislation that restricts, in any way, the trading area of any private hire operator.

Whilst it may be interpreted that companies that undertake app-based bookings are taking advantage of this, they continue to conduct their business lawfully as long as they hold a private hire operator (PHO) licence and any work they sub-contract is lawfully allocated.

Private hire operators licence

UBER and similar app-based companies do not currently hold a private hire operator’s licence with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.

If you intend to undertake any form of pre-booked private hire work you must also hold a Private Hire Operators Licence (PHOL) with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to enable you to take the booking.

If you intend to work for an app-based company (such as UBER, LYFT, GETT, BOLT) you must hold a PHOL with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.

Without your own operator’s licence, all bookings from these businesses are illegal, all journeys are uninsured, you may face prosecution and your licences will be revoked.

Hackney carriage vehicle bookings

Hackney carriages (taxis) that are licensed in Hinckley and Bosworth can undertake pre-booked work for any operator in the country. However, one of our licence conditions for vehicles, is that we will not normally licence a vehicle that will not be used primarily in our area, so in essence the vehicle needs to be working in our borough more often than not.

Fare charges

Please note that if a taxi carries out any pre-booked work for journeys that start and end in Hinckley and Bosworth borough, they must not charge more than the metered fare that is set by the council. If they do, they may be breaking the law and, if found guilty, may face prosecution and (or) a review of their hackney carriage or private hire driver’s licence.

Also, journeys that start in Hinckley and Bosworth and terminate outside the borough area must also be charged at the metered fare, unless an agreement has taken place before the journey begins.

This may be relevant as some operators or app-based firms quote a fare to be accepted by the customer before the journey commences, so drivers should be aware of this piece of legislation.

Last updated:‎ ‎24‎/‎04‎/‎2024‎ ‎15‎:‎22‎