Taxi Licensing
Welcome to the Taxi Licensing section of the Authority’s web
site. The Registration & Records Unit manages the
Authority’s role to ensure that drivers, proprietors and operators
of hackney carriage vehicles are fit and proper persons to
hold such licenses. They also manages the Authority’s role to
ensure that proprietors only use vehicles that are suitable in type, size and design for use as a
hackney carriage or private hire vehicle and that the vehicles are
mechanically suitable and safe and that they are
comfortable. By 2012, all hackney carriage vehicles
must be wheelchair friendly and the drivers have a legal
obligation to facilitate the wheelchair user. It is a
statutory duty that all hackney carriage and private hire vehicles
accommodate assistance dogs and their owners.
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HACKNEY CARRIAGE VEHICLES
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Hackney Carriage Vehicles – Quantity control
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For Hackney Carriage Vehicles, the Authority can and does limit
the number of vehicles that are licensed. The Authority has a
policy of managed growth which will conclude with open access to
this market.
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Hackney Carriage Fares
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The Authority does regulate Hackney Carriage Fares and details
of these are available using the link below.
Bedford Taxi Fares
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Inspection Standards
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All vehicles submitted for a Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence
will need to make their vehicle available for a mechanical
inspection (for details of the inspection, see link below)
Manual
Inspection of Vehicles
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PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES
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Private Hire Vehicles – Quantity control
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The Authority has no power to limit the number of private hire
vehicles
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Private Hire Fares
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The Authority has no power to set the maximum fares for journeys
in Private Hire Vehicles. It is important that passengers in
Private Hire Vehicles agree the fare to be charged before the
journey starts.
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Inspection Standards
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All vehicles submitted for a Private Hire Vehicle Licence will
need to make their vehicle available for a mechanical inspection
(for details of the inspection, see link below)
Manual
Inspection of Vehicles
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HACKNEY CARRIAGE / PRIVATE HIRE DRIVERS
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Knowledge Tests
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In relation to Drivers of Hackney Carriages and Private Hire
Vehicles, the Authority requires all applicants who have not
already passed a Test (or have had a gap in the licence period of 6
months or more) to pass the Knowledge of the Bedford Area Test
(for details of the Test, see link below).
Knowledge Test Syllabus
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English Language Skills
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An English Assessment is also required for those who have not
already passed such an assessment (or have had a gap in the licence
period of 6 months or more). Details of the Assessment can be
found at the link below
English
Assessment
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Driving Skills
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Where applicants have not already passed the Driving Standards
Agency’s Driving Skills Assessment (or have had a gap in the
licence period of 6 months or more) they will be required to pass
such an Assessment. Details of the Assessment can be found at
the link below
Direct Gov – DSA
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Criminal Records Check
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All drivers will also be asked to submit an enhanced criminal
record check from the Criminal Records Bureau (see link to CRB
below)
Criminal Records
Bureau
The Authority also has the following relevant policies
(further policies are explained in the guidance notes to these
applications).
General Statement on the Relevance of Criminal Records to
Licensing
Policy of Secure Storage of Disclosures
Policy with
Regard to Convictions against Applicants for Driver
Licences
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PRIVATE HIRE OPERATORS
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Criminal Records Check
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All private hire operators will also be asked to submit a basic
criminal record check from the Disclosure Scotland (see link
below)
Disclosure
Scotland
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FURTHER INFORMATION
Please use the links on the left hand side to
access further information that may be relevant to you.