From the 1st January 2008, all UK limousine companies must be registered in order that they can provide limousines for hire or reward, typically most will licence with their district council as a Private Hire Operator, in which case they will be licensed to carry up to 8 passengers. Some may elect to register with VOSA as a Bus Operator. This article deals with those that opt for the Private Hire route.
As a Private Hire Operator the district council will implement the following through their Licensing Officer;
All chauffeur's will have to be licensed to drive the limousine and in order to gain their licence, they will have to pass a medical and will be subjected to a Criminal Records Bureau check
Most, but not all Licensing Officers will also subject the chauffeur to a local knowledge check
Each of the Private Hire Vehicles (stretched limousines, cars or people carriers) will be subjected to a strict bi-annual test
The Licensing Officer will check on the validity of the vehicle insurance for each licensed private hire vehicle
The Licensing Officer will be entitled to check on the Public Liability insurance for suitability
Therefore, each limousine business will have to have a valid Private Hire Operators Licence, every limousine (or other vehicles operated for hire or reward) will have to be licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle and every chauffeur will have to be a Licensed Private Hire Vehicle Driver. The holder of the Private Hire Operators Licence will then be subjected to regular and most likely, unannounced visits by the Licensing Officer to ensure that they are meeting all of their obligations and the vehicles will be checked on a regular basis to confirm that they are suitable for use as a Private Hire Vehicle.
Many people will be astonished to learn that, in the past, there has been very little regulation or oversight within the burgeoning limousine hire business, however the amendment contained in the Road Traffic Act 2006 will ensure, that in the future at least, this industry will have some formal oversight. Please note: Companies operating exclusively for wedding car hire or funerals, do not need to be licensed under the revised act.
Cars for Stars Limited is a UK based company operating chauffeur driven cars and limousines. With a Head Office based in London, and they offer a national service for limousines and chauffeur cars through an extended branch network of franchised offices. All Cars for Stars franchisees are required to be licensed by their respective local authority or district council or, in the case of London, by the Public Carriage Office (PCO), which means that the chauffeur's will have been subjected to a medical and criminal records bureau checks and the chauffeur cars and limousines will be required to undergo and pass regular and vigorous vehicle tests as outlined above.
You can locate your local providers through the following directories: Chauffeur Cars & Limousine Directory; Chauffeur Cars Directory and the Vehicle Hire Directory.
