London Hackney Carriage Act 1831

1. Introductory Text

2. Certain Acts declared in force until 5th Jan. 1832, and the repealed ; viz.

3. Acts of Great Britain :

4. Acts of the United Kingdom :

5. II. Former Licences to cease, and the Plates to be delivered up to the Commissioners of Stamps.

6. III. Grant of Stamp Duties specified in the Schedule (A.) hereto annexed.

7. IV. Definition of a Hackney Carriage.

8. V. Horses used in drawing Hackney Carriages not to be subject to the Duties imposed by 4 G.4 C.62 on Horses let for Hire.

9. VI. Hackney Carriages not to be kept without Licences, nor without Plates.

10. VII. Licences to be granted by the Commissioners of Stamps or their Officers.

11. VIII. Before 5th Jan. 1833, Licences not to exceed 1,200, and Preference to be given to the Holders of former Licences

12. IX. After 5th Jan. 1833, Licences to be granted without Limitation of Number.

13. X. Persons possessed of Licences at the Commencement of this Act to be entitled to new Licences, without Payment of the Duty of 5l.

14. XI. Persons applying for Licences to sign a Requisition for the same.

15. XII. What shall be specified in the Licences.

16. XIII. Notice to be given by Proprietors of Hackney Carriages of any Change of Abode. Penalty 40s.

17. XIV. Names and Places of Abode of the Proprietors of Hackney Carriages, and the Numbers of the Plates, to be registered at the Guildhall in London. Penalty 40s.

18. XV. Duties in what Manner to be paid.

19. XVI. Mode of discontinuing Licences.

20. XVII. Plates to be delivered up on the Discontinuance or Revocation of such Licences. Penalty 10l.

21. XVIII. Carriages, Horses, Harness, &c. liable to Duties and Penalties.

22. XIX. Duties recoverable by Distress.

23. XX. Numbered Plates to be placed upon Hackney Carriages. Penalty for concealing Plates, or preventing Persons inspecting and taking the Number thereof.

24. XXI. Commissioners may change Plates. Where a Plate has been wilfully obliterated, a new Licence shall be taken out.

25. XXII. Penalty for using, &c. a Hackney Carriage without Licence, or without Plates, or for not delivering up recalled Plates, 10l.

26. XXIII. Penalty on the Driver of a Carriage plying for Hire without Plates, 5l. If the Owner ,10l.

27. XXIV. Carriages having thereon Plates provided under this Act to be deemed Hackney Carriages.

28. XXV. Forgery, &c. of the Stamp Office Plate, a Misdemeanor.

29. XXVI. Proprietors of Hackney Carriages to be summoned to appear and produce the Drivers. Penalty 40s. On Neglect on Second Summons Justices may proceed.

30. XXVII. Penalties if not paid by Drivers to be levied on Proprietors ;

31. XXVIII. Who shall be entitled to recover from the Drivers.

32. XXIX. Justices to determine Disputes between Proprietors and their Drivers.

33. XXX. Watermen to be licensed. Penalty on acting as a Waterman without a Licence, 40s.

34. XXXI. Badges to be worn by Watermen. Penalty 40s.

35. XXXII. Particulars of Licences to be entered in Books at the Stamp Office, and such Entries to be Evidence.

36. XXXIII. Procuring any Licence in a fictitious Name, a Misdemeanor.

37. XXXIV. What Distance Drivers of Hackney Carriages shall be compellable to drive. Penalty 40s.

38. XXXV. Hackney Carriages standing in any Street to be deemed to be plying for Hire, and the Driver thereof refusing to go with any Person liable to a Penalty of 40s.

39. XXXVI. Compensation to be made to Drivers improperly summoned for refusing to carry any Person.

40. XXXVII. Drivers may ply and shall be compellable to drive on Sundays.

41. XXXVIII. Rates and Fares to be taken for Hackney Carriages.

42. XXXIX. Back Fare payable by Night. By Day.

43. XL. Limits of the Metropolis defined.

44. XLI. Persons refusing to pay the Driver his Fare, or for any Damage, may be committed to Prison.

45. XLII. Penalty on Drivers refusing to go or exacting more than the legal Fare.

46. XLIII. Agreement to pay more than the legal Fare not to be binding. Sum paid beyond the proper Fare may be recovered back. Penalty 40s.

47. XLIV. Driver not to charge more than the Sum agreed for, although the Distance be exceeded. Penalty 40s.

48. XLV. Penalty for demanding more than the Sum agreed for, though less than the legal Fare, 40s.

49. XLVI. Number of Persons to be carried in a Hackney Carriage to be painted thereon. Penalty for Neglect, or for Refusal to carry the Number, 40s.

50. XLVII. Deposit to be made for Carriages waiting. Penalty on the Driver refusing to wait, or to account for the Deposit, 40s.

51. XLVIII. Proprietors to provide Check Strings; Drivers to hold same in their Hands. Penalty 20s.

52. XLIX. Property left in Hackney Carriages to be deposited at the Stamp Office. Penalty 20l. Property not claimed within a Year to be delivered up to the Driver, if applied for ; if not, to be sold.

53. L. Penalty for permitting Persons to ride without Consent of the Hirer, 20s.

54. LI. Improperly standing with Carriage, or feeding Horses in the Street ; refusing to give way to, or obstructing any other Driver ; or depriving him of his Fare ; Penalty 20s.

55. LII. Carriages may stand Two in Breadth in Palace Yard.

56. LIII. A clear Space of Ten Feet to be left after every Four Hackney Carriages on any Standing. Penalty 20s.

57. LIV. The Court of Aldermen authorized to make Orders for regulating Hackney Carriages in the City of London and in the Borough of Southwark. Penalty on Persons offending against such Orders, 5l.

58. LV. Penalty for leaving Carriages unattended at Places of public Resort, 20s.

59. LVI. Proprietors, Drivers, or Watermen misbehaving. Penalty 5l. Licence may be revoked.

60. LVII. Justices empowered to award Compensation to Drivers or Watermen for their Loss of Time in attending to answer Complaints which shall not be substantiated against them.

61. LVIII. Commissioners to give Notice of the Revocation of Licences.

62. LIX. Names and Places of Abode of Owners of Waggons, Carts, &c. to be painted thereon.

63. LX. Penalty for using Waggons, &c. upon which the Names and Places of Abode are not painted, 5l.

64. LXI. Duties and Penalties how recoverable.

65. LXII. Before whom Offences shall be heard and determined.

66. LXIII. Mode of proceeding for Penalties before a Justice of the Peace.

67. LXIV. In what Manner Goods distrained under this Act shall be sold.

68. LXV. Summonses, Convictions, and Warrants to be drawn up according to the Forms in the Schedule (D).

69. LXVI. Justices may issue Warrants or Summonses against Proprietors, Drivers, and Watermen.

70. LXVII. Penalty on Witnesses neglecting to attend or refusing to give Evidence, 5l.

71. LXVIII. Service of Justice's Summons.

72. LXIX. Penalty on Constable refusing to serve a Summons or execute a Warrant.

73. LXX. Justices may mitigate Penalties.

74. LXXI. Distribution of Penalties.

75. LXXII. Informants or Complainants not disqualified from being Witnesses.

76. LXXIII. Limitation of Actions. Venue. Notice of Action. General Issue. Tender of Amends.

77. LXXIV. Construction of the Terms used in this Act.

78. LXXV. Duties granted by 50 G.3 c.41 on Hawkers and Pedlars, to be paid to Commissioners of Stamps.

79. LXXVI. Powers, &c. of 50 G.3 C.41 and of any-other Act relating to Duties on Hawkers and Pedlars, to be of as full Force as if repeated in this Act.

80. LXXVII. Commencement of the Act.

81. LXXVIII. Act may be altered this Session.

82. The SCHEDULES to which this Act refers.

    1. SCHEDULE (A.)

       Containing the Duties imposed by this Act

    2. SCHEDULE (B.)

       Containing the Rates and Fares to be paid for any Hackney Carriage hired and taken any Distance: (that is to say,)

    3. SCHEDULE (C.)

       Containing the Rates and Fares to be paid for any Hackney Carriage hired and taken for any Time; (that is to say,)

    4. SCHEDULE (D.)

       Containing the Forms of Proceedings for the Recovery of Duties and Penalties under this Act