Taxi or Private Hire Car Vehicle Specifications

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Taxi and Private Hire Car (Purpose Built Vehicle)

1. Safety is of paramount importance to East Ayrshire Council. Therefore, the
taxi/private hire car which will conform to the latest EEC standards i.e. M1
Whole Vehicle Type Approval (Category M1: vehicles used for the carriage of
passengers and comprising no more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s
seat) must comply in all respects with the requirements of any Act and
Regulations relating to motor vehicles and be of the orthodox type. The
Council has the right to specify the number of passengers the taxi/private hire
car can carry and the seating layout.
2. The vehicle must be in a proper state of repair for the use as a taxi/private hire
car. Any vehicle operating as a taxi within East Ayrshire must be under the
age of 8 years from the original date of registration or until deemed unfit for
public service thereafter.
3. Purpose built vehicles are required to undergo and pass an inspection
annually up to the age of 8 years old from original date of registration and
thereafter bi-annually, until no longer deemed fit for service.
4. The Licensing Section will be advised of all test failures. Should a vehicle fail
two consecutive tests a formal letter will be issued. If there are three or more
failures, the matter may be brought to the attention of the Licensing Panel
whereby suspension or more frequent testing would be a consideration.
5. A taxi shall have a taximeter which is incapable of multi-tariff operation and
has been stamped or sealed by the Council after testing and approval as to
distance and time in accordance with the approved taxi fares and charges.
Once such a taximeter is fitted to the taxi the seal can only be broken if the
taximeter is removed for repair. In this event the taximeter must be tested and
re-sealed by the Council before the taxi is returned to service. If a private hire
car has a taximeter installed then the same criteria applies.
6. The steering wheel must be on the offside of the vehicle.
7. The minimum engine cubic capacity rating must be suitable for the application
as a taxi or private hire car.
8. The vehicle must have a minimum of four doors. Childproof safety locks with
an automatic motion sensitive locking system of an approved design must be
fitted. Driver’s door must be capable of locking independently from passenger
doors.
9. The vertical distance between the point of maximum deflection of the seat
cushion when a passenger is seated to the room immediately above that point
must not be less than 96.5 centimetres. The width across the rear seat
cushion must not be less than 1.07 metres.

10.All the passenger seats in the vehicle must have easy access and without
obstruction.
11.To provide adequate knee room, the distance between the front surface of all
seat backs and the back(s) in front or any obstruction must be at least 650mm.

Taxi or Private Hire Car Vehicle Specifications 1

12.Where seats face each other, the distance between the seat backs measured
in a horizontal plane through the centreline of the individual seating position
along the top surface of the seat cushion must be not less than 1,300mm. The
distance between the front edges of the seat cushions must be a minimum of
425mm.

Taxi or Private Hire Car Vehicle Specifications 2

13.To provide adequate room for passenger’s feet there must be clear floor
space in front of the seat of 300mm long, 250mm wide and 80mm high.

Taxi or Private Hire Car Vehicle Specifications 3

14.The rear seat base width is a minimum of 116.5mm at rear of base and
122mm at front of base.
15.All seats should be either forward or rear facing.
16.The body must be of the fixed head type with a partially glazed safety glass or
perspex partition separating the passenger from the driver. Safety glazing
made from glass or plastic must be so constructed or treated that if fractured it
does not fly into fragments likely to cause severe cuts. Each piece of glazing
must display the relevant permanent marking applied by the glazing
manufacturer, for example, E4 or 43R-002439 marking. Every cab must be
provided with an approved means of communication between the passenger
and the driver (where a driver/passenger intercom system has been fitted it
must incorporate an induction loop for hearing aid users). When a sliding
window is fitted at the rear of the driver’s compartment, the maximum width of
the opening must not exceed 11.5 centimetres. All glass must be made of
safety glass in accordance with the British or European Standards in force at
the time and be capable of affording an unrestricted view of the vehicle interior
(no dark tinted glass in internal partition). The Council’s decision on what is
an unrestricted view shall be final.
17.The vehicle must have a luggage compartment. The luggage compartment
must be sufficient in size in order to safely stow an adequate amount of
luggage in conjunction with the number of passengers authorised to carry by
Council. In the event of there being no separate luggage compartment, all
luggage must be securely restrained by use of cargo netting or other similar
approved method. The Council’s decision on a similar approved method shall
be final.
18.The vehicle should have a spare wheel fitted with a pneumatic tyre of the
same size and type as the other tyres and wheels on the vehicle, or where a
space saver wheel and tyre (as provided by the manufacturer) is used a
method statement indicating limits of use must be present with the vehicle.
Any spare wheel must be in such condition as to instantly replace any
damaged wheel or a wheel on which the tyre has become damaged. There
must also be a suitable lifting jack and a suitable wheel brace.
19.The front and rear plates must be affixed to the exterior of the vehicle by
means of screws. If fitting the plates to the vehicle bumpers the plates must
be affixed to either the centre or the driver’s side of the vehicle, or
alternatively, alongside a square registration plate. If using brackets, the
brackets must be affixed to the vehicle registration plate by means of screws.
The information on the plate must be clearly visible and in a vertical position
on or above the bumper.
20.The Licensing Authority transfers must be affixed to the exterior of the front
doors of private hire vehicles. This must be a permanent fixture.

21. Advertising the name and telephone number of the company/proprietor (selfadvertising) for both taxi and private hire cars shall be permitted on the front
and rear windscreen glass of a vehicle outwith the windscreen wiper pattern
area and to the satisfaction of the Chief Governance Officer. Lettering shall
not exceed 75mm in height and shall be contained in one line, unless smaller
lettering is used, but the combined height of any lines shall not exceed 75mm
in height.
22.Advertising in the form of full livery self-advertising or commercial advertising
is permitted on taxis only, and is permitted on the sides, bonnet and boot of
the vehicle, and each individual design must be submitted for approval by the
Chief Governance Officer of East Ayrshire Council. Contravision will be
permitted on the rear window and on any luggage compartment areas where
no passengers are seated, following the relevant authorisation being received.
There must be a clear unobscured view through the rear view mirror.
23.Tinted windows will be permitted on vehicles, however, the front windscreen
must be 75% clear, and 45% clear on other passenger compartment windows.
A tolerance of + or – 3% will be allowed on passenger compartment windows,
and this will be absolute. This restriction will not apply to the rear window and
windows on any luggage compartment areas where no passengers are
seated, and these windows may be tinted, however there must be a clear
unobscured view through the rear view mirror. Vehicles first licensed with the
Council from 1 April 2016 must comply with this specification.
24.A wheelchair ramp at least 750mm wide and not more than 1,700mm in length
is required and must be part of the vehicle’s equipment at all times. A pair of
channel ramps must not be used. When the ramp is deployed onto the road,
the ramp slope must not exceed 1 in 4 (25%). It must be possible to deploy
the ramp onto both a level road and a 125mm kerb. When the ramp is in use,
it must be securely located at the point of wheelchair entry. The surface of the
ramp must have a slip-resistant finish and all outer edges must be clearly
marked in a contrasting colour.
25.All passenger entrances and the area immediately outside these entrances
must be well lit. All entrances must have a maximum first step height of
325mm from ground level which may be achieved with a folding or slide out
step. The first step height before deployment must not exceed 325mm from
ground level. All step nosing and surfaces must be of slip-resistant material
and all outer edges must be clearly marked in a contrasting colour.
26.There should be an approved security arrangement for the wheelchair user to
remain within their chair while using the taxi.
27.The requirements on the rear door access for wheelchairs should be a
minimum of 1.170mm high and 680mm wide.
28.If operating as a taxi, the vehicle must have a “Taxi” roof sign fitted centrally to
the front section of the roof, which must be illuminated when plying for hire.
The roof sign must be automatically extinguished when the “Fare Meter” is
engaged.
29.All bodywork must be free of any damage, including scratches, and have
professional automotive finished paintwork of the same colour and shade.
30.No fittings other than those approved may be attached to or carried upon the
interior or exterior of the vehicle. These include tow bars and fittings, roof
racks, roof mounted luggage containers, etc (this list is not exhaustive).
31.Should the Operator wish to install an electronic security system capable of
recording and storing a record of entry or exit of passengers by way of video
images, the camera must be positioned so as not to obstruct the driver’s
normal view of the swept area of the windscreen.
32.The Council will approve the number and layout of passenger seats on any
given taxi/phc.

Taxis and Private Hire Car
(Non-purpose Built Vehicles)

1. Safety is of paramount importance to East Ayrshire Council. Therefore, the
taxi/private hire car/minibus which will conform to the latest EEC standards i.e.
M1 Whole Vehicle Type Approval, must comply in all respects with the
requirements of any Act and Regulations relating to motor vehicles in force at
the time of licensing.
2. The vehicle must be in a proper state of repair for the use as a taxi or private
hire car. Any vehicle operating as a taxi or private hire car within East Ayrshire
must be under the age of 8 years from the original date of registration.
3. The Operator shall require their vehicle to undergo and pass an annual or biannual inspection by the Council. The vehicle will be inspected annually up to
the age of 5 years from the original date of registration and thereafter biannually up until 8 years old from original date of registration.
4. The Licensing Section will be advised of all test failures. Should a vehicle fail
two consecutive tests a formal letter will be issued. If there are three or more
failures, the matter may be brought to the attention of the Licensing Panel
whereby suspension or more frequent testing would be a consideration.
5. The steering wheel must be on the offside of the vehicle.
6. The minimum engine cubic capacity rating must be suitable for the application
as a taxi or private hire car.
7. The vehicle must have a minimum of four doors excluding any doors at the
rear of the vehicle. Passenger doors must be capable of being readily open
and must be of such construction so as to permit reasonably unrestricted
access for passengers.
8. The vehicle must have a luggage compartment. The luggage compartment
must be sufficient in size in order to safely stow an adequate amount of
luggage in conjunction with the number of passengers authorised to carry by
Council. In the event of there being no separate luggage compartment, all
luggage must be securely restrained by use of cargo netting or other similar
approved method approved by the Council. The Council’s decision on a
similar approved method shall be final.
9. If the vehicle is an estate type, people carrier type or a minibus, the
passengers must be protected from loose luggage by a suitable grill or other
approved arrangement.
10.The vehicle should have a spare wheel fitted with a pneumatic tyre of the
same size and type as the other tyres and wheels on the vehicle, or where a
space saver wheel and tyre (as provided by the manufacturer) is used a
method statement indicating limits of use must be present with the vehicle.
Any spare wheel must be in such condition as to instantly replace any
damaged wheel or a wheel on which the tyre has become damaged. There
must also be a suitable lifting jack and a suitable wheel brace.
11.The front and rear plates must be affixed to the exterior of the vehicle by
means of screws. If fitting the plates to the vehicle bumpers the plates must
be affixed to either the centre or the driver’s side of the vehicle, or
alternatively, alongside a square registration plate. If using brackets, the
brackets must be affixed to the vehicle registration plate by means of screws.
The information on the plate must be clearly visible and in a vertical position
on or above the bumper.
12.All bodywork must be free of any damage, including scratches, and have
professional automotive finished paintwork of the same colour and shade.
13.All the passenger seats in the vehicle must have easy access and without
obstruction. The rear seat base width is a minimum of 116.5mm at rear of
base and 122mm at front of base.
14.To provide adequate knee room, the distance between the front surface of all
seat backs and the back(s) in front or any obstruction must be at least 650mm.
15.Where seats face each other, the distance between the seat backs measured
in a horizontal plane through the centreline of the individual seating position
along the top surface of the seat cushion must be not less than 1,300mm. The
distance between the front edges of the seat cushions must be a minimum of
425mm.
1300mm
425mm
16.To provide adequate room for passenger’s feet there must be clear floor
space in front of the seat of 300mm long, 250mm wide and 80mm high.
17.All seats should be either forward or rear facing.
18.All passenger entrances and the area immediately outside these entrances
must be well lit. The nearside entrance must have a maximum first step height
of 325mm from ground level which may be achieved with a folding or slide out
step. The first step height before deployment must not exceed 325mm from
ground level. All step nosing and surfaces must be of slip-resistant material
and all outer edges must be clearly marked in a contrasting colour.
19.All vehicles other than saloon and estate type must be provided with childproof
safety locks with an automatic motion sensitive locking system of an approved
design. The driver’s door must be capable of locking independently from
passenger doors.
20.The Licensing Authority transfers must be affixed to the exterior of the front
doors of private hire vehicles. This must be a permanent fixture.
21.Advertising the name and telephone number of the company/proprietor (selfadvertising) for both taxi and private hire cars shall be permitted on the front
and rear windscreen glass of a vehicle outwith the windscreen pattern area
and to the satisfaction of a nominated council officer. Lettering shall not
exceed 75mm in height and shall be contained in one line, unless smaller
lettering is used, but the combined height of any lines shall not exceed 75mm
in height.
22.Advertising in the form of full livery self-advertising or commercial advertising
is permitted on taxis only, and will be permitted on the sides, bonnet and boot,
and each individual design must be submitted for approval by the Chief
Governance Officer of East Ayrshire Council. Contravision will be permitted
on the rear window and windows on any luggage compartment areas where
no passengers are seated, following the relevant permission being obtained.
There must be a clear unobscured view through the rear view mirror.
300mm
80mm
23.Tinted windows will be permitted on vehicles, however, the front windscreen
must be 75% clear, and 45% clear on other passenger compartment windows.
A tolerance of + or – 3% will be allowed on passenger compartment windows,
and this will be absolute. This restriction will not apply to the rear window and
windows on any luggage compartment areas where no passengers are
seated, and these windows may be tinted, however there must be a clear
unobscured view through the rear view mirror. Vehicles first licensed with the
Council from 1 April 2016 must comply with this specification.
24.No fittings other than those approved may be attached to or carried upon the
interior or exterior of the taxi. These include tow bars and fittings, roof racks,
roof mounted luggage containers, etc (this list is not exhaustive)
25.Should the Operator wish to install an electronic security system capable of
recording and storing a record of entry or exit of passengers by way of video
images, the camera must be positioned so as not to obstruct the driver’s
normal view of the swept area of the windscreen.
Minibus – Additional requirements
1. Must be capable of carrying safely up to a maximum of 8 passengers including
luggage.
2. Passenger seats must be minimum 425mm wide (measured at the leading
edge) and 400mm deep (measured through the centre line of top cushion).
3. All seat belts must be 3-point, lap and diagonal type.
4. Main Passenger compartment to be serviced by a minimum of 2 doors
(excluding rear doors).

GENERAL INFORMATION ON SUITABLE VEHICLES
The Council has the right to specify the number of passengers that any
Taxi or Private Hire Car can carry and the seating layout.
The layout of seats within the vehicle will be subject to approval by an
authorised council officer at time of initial inspection and no changes will
be permitted unless given prior consent.
No vehicles (other than purpose built taxis) that have been the subject of
major conversion or modification will be accepted, unless a Low Volume
Type Approval Certificate, issued by the Vehicle Certification Agency
(VCA) covering such conversion or modification, is presented at time of
inspection of vehicle for the purposes of issuing a Certificate of
Compliance.
For Purpose Built Taxis an EEC M1 Whole Vehicle Type Approval
Certificate issued by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) must be
presented at time of inspection of vehicle for the purposes of issuing a
Certificate of Compliance.
For vehicles fitted with passenger tail-lifts a valid Lifting Operations and
Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, (LOLER), Bi-annual certification must
be presented at time of inspection of vehicle for the purposes of issuing a
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020 8877 3000