Approved Vehicles

Find here details of the current list of approved vehicles that can be used and licensed as a hackney carriage and/or private hire vehicle in Rushmoor, together with the Council's current vehicle specification of fitness.

Hackney Carriages

By virtue of section 47 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the Council may require hackney carriages to be of such design or appearance or bear such distinguishing marks as to clearly identify it as a hackney carriage.

In view of this and by way of ensuring that hackney carriages meet certain standards, the Council will only licence those vehicles that meet its current vehicle specification and have been formally approved in accordance with its scheme of delegation. A copy of the current vehicle specification can be seen using the link on the right hand side.

Generally speaking, second-hand purpose built vehicles and saloon type vehicles will NOT be eligible for the grant of a hackney carriage vehicle licence. Similarly, adapted / converted vehicles will NOT be eligible for the grant of a hackney carriage vehicle licence, except for the Volkswagen Sharan (as converted by Automotive Group, Newcastle), the Mercedes Eurocab (as converted by Jubilee Automotive Group, Wednesbury), the Peugeot Euro 7 Taxi (as converted by Cab Direct, Glasgow), the Peugeot E7 (as converted by Cab Direct, Glasgow), the Fiat Euro Cab (as converted by Jubilee Automotive Group, Wednesbury), the TW200 (as converted by Jubilee Automotive Group, Wednesbury) and the Volkswagen Eurocab (as converted by Jubilee Automotive Group, Wednesbury), provided that each has been adapted to comply with the Council's specification of fitness. NB: Only approved conversions will be eligible for the grant of a hackney carriage vehicle licence.

The current list of vehicles that will be accepted for licensing as hackney carriages are given below:-

NB: Licences will not be granted in respect of vehicles with less than four or more than eight passenger seats and all new vehicles must be licensed by the Council within 28 days of registration with the DVLA.

Private Hire Vehicles

Subject to some restricted licences, private hire vehicle licences (i.e. for vehicles that undertake general private hire work activities) will only be issued in respect of vehicles that may be described as hard top saloons, estate cars and people carriers.

Subject to certain conditions, a private hire vehicle licence will not be issued to any vehicle type that resembles a hackney carriage (see list of approved hackney carriages) or any vehicles fitted with any top box or sign displaying the word 'TAXI' or similar.

Left hand drive vehicles will not be eligible as a private hire vehicle except for American-style stretch limousines which have express written approval, following application, from the Council.

NB: Licences will not be granted in respect of vehicles with more than eight passenger seats and all new vehicles must be licensed by the Council within 28 days of registration with the DVLA.