§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the rules with regard to licensed hackney carriages being required to pick up fares irrespective as to whether the journey in question is commercially attractive; what recourse the public have if their custom is unreasonably declined; if he is satisfied that any such system is effective and adequate; and what notices are carried in Hackney carriages in clarification of these matters.
§ Mr. RaisonIn London, a taxi driver is obliged, unless he has a reasonable 11W excuse, to accept any hiring up to six miles (20 miles in the case of a hiring beginning at Heathrow airport) provided that the journey begins and ends within the Metropolitan and/or City Police districts. Complaints about refusals to be hired should be sent within seven days to the Public Carriage Office. Information to the effect, including the address of the Public Carriage Office, is given in the fare table displayed inside every taxi.
Outside London, taxis are usually obliged to accept any hiring which begins and ends within the area in which they are licensed. How the public is informed of these provisions is the responsibility of the appropriate district council, to which complaints about refusals should be addressed.
These requirements, along with all other aspects of the control of taxis and private hire cars, are at present under review.