bus lane ticket for taxi

willow321

Hi I am a private hire taxi driver, I renewed my taxi licence(plate on back of car)but did not fix it to the rear of the car as I had no tools so I just put it the boot. I went through a bus/cycle/taxi lane and received a PCN a few days later, I contacted the ticket office and explained that I was a taxi they said they would look into it, any way after a few more phone calls regarding the non displaying of my plate the ticket would not be cancelled and I would have to pay or appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal which I did. they denied my appeal on the grounds
"The fact is that the plate was not displayed and so the
vehicle was not licensed."
yet in a email from the licencing section of city council when I asked about removing my plate to let a driver without a taxi licence (but a full car licence and their own insurance)drive my car and also about smoking in the car
"The vehicle is a licensed vehicle for the life of the licence period regardless of whether you have the plate in the boot and door signs taken off. Any driver of that vehicle is subject to the licensing conditions. You would have to surrender your licence and plate in order for you to smoke in the vehicle or to allow any other person to drive the vehicle.
now who is correct ??????
I have been sending emails to the ticket office all day and all they will say is
"The licence plate identifying the vehicles as a private hire vehicle must be secured to the rear of the vehicle so as to be easily seen, in a location approved by an Authorised Officer of the City Council.’
As I have pointed out it does not mention anything about bus lanes.
I have also sent a email appealing against the decision by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal and will wait and see what they say.
So in a nutshell if my plate is not displayed the Traffic Penalty Tribunal say it is not a taxi yet the Licencing Council say it is who do I believe:(

SailorSam

This does say that your plate must be fixed to the vehicle.

http://liverpool.gov.uk/parking-travel-and-roads/bus-lane-enforcement/

HappyMJ

You or your passengers or any other person can never smoke in the vehicle. It is a now a non smoking space.

esmerobbo

Its a pity you didn't go to Pepipoo when you first got the PCN Liverpool bus lanes and their PCN's have several flaws in them.

However if you did not have the only thing that differentiates your vehicle from an ordinary vehicle ie: the plate then I would think they had you bang to rights.

Orford

I would have thought that a condition of licensing your vehicle as a taxi, is that to ply for hire and to be able use bus lanes the plate must be fixed to your vehicle.

Without it, regardless of the fact that the vehicle is still licensed for use as a taxi, your vehicle effectively is just a private car. As such it cannot be identified as a taxi and cannot legally use bus lanes.

IMO you're wasting your time fighting this any further.

spacey2012

A private hire vehicle is a grey area as in a lot of places only hackney carriage plated taxis are exempt for bus lanes.
But if you were not plated as a private hire, then you should not really be utilising any granted exemption, the certificate of compliance would have been void as well so you could have been reported for no MOT as well.

IMO I think they have you here.

SailorSam

spacey2012 wrote: »

A private hire vehicle is a grey area as in a lot of places only hackney carriage plated taxis are exempt for bus lanes.

I thought it was only a Hackney that were exempt, i was surprised when i read that link to see the Council allow Private Hire to use bus lanes now, but without 'the camera' seeing the plate it's just a car. All the Op is throw himself and ask the Council to let him off. The Op is a bit unlucky 'cos i've heard Liverpool City Council are doing away with bus lanes 'cos they think they're more trouble than they're worth.

Orford

SailorSam wrote: »

I All the Op is throw himself and ask the Council to let him off. .

He's tried that and TPT - both appeals denied

willow321

and I still have no intention of paying.
if a bus is not in service is it still deemed to be bus or just another vehicle

willow321

spacey2012 wrote: »

A private hire vehicle is a grey area as in a lot of places only hackney carriage plated taxis are exempt for bus lanes.
But if you were not plated as a private hire, then you should not really be utilising any granted exemption, the certificate of compliance would have been void as well so you could have been reported for no MOT as well.

I have both a certificate of compliance and a mot, my argument is my vehicle is licenced if the plate is on display or in the boot according to the council............

Coupon-mad

willow321 wrote: »

and I still have no intention of paying.
if a bus is not in service is it still deemed to be bus or just another vehicle

Woah...you have lost a Council ticket at adjudication and you aren't paying? Good luck with the bailiffs then.