"Mike Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message ,
Martin Underwood writes
If there is a
demand for taxi journeys to/from the parks, or the park road is the most
direct route between two points, that demand should be satisfied. In my
mind, anywhere that a private car can go, a taxi should be allowed to go
and
to ply for trade.

Taxis *are* allowed to use the royal parks. They can and *do* ply for
hire in the royal parks. They received special dispensation to use the
parks with the liveried taxis.

I believe that the Public Carriage Office have raised the question of
*licensed* Private Hire vehicles (minicabs) being prosecuted for using
the parks so that the matter can be properly resolved one way or the
other.

In the case of taxis, they re supposed to use take the *shortest* route
to their destination (unless the customer agrees to a different route).
As taxis have meters any longer route will cost more. Minicabs do not
have meters and many of them quote a fixed price for the job.

There is a vast difference in the knowledge requirements between the two
of course. This is reflected in the fact that taxis can use most (but
not all) of the bus lanes, to encourage people to use them in preference
to their cars.

Ah, so the information in the OP was incorrect - I was just quoting it and
assuming that it was correct.

What precisely is the difference between a taxi and a minicab? Do minicabs
have to carry a licensing plate (quoting registration number and maximum
number of occupants) like taxis do? How does a user know whether he's
getting into a taxi or a minicab?

Having only rarely used "taxis" (in the widest sense of the word) I'd
assumed that all such vehicles charged by distance (with surcharges for
number of people, for night-time and for en-route waiting time) - I hadn't
realised that minicabs negotiate an up-front charge. I believe that taxis
are allowed to be hailed in the street by passing pedestrians, whereas
minicabs can only be hired by phone to pick up at a stated address, but I'm
sure whenever I've booked "a taxi" to call for me at home, it's always had a
meter and I've been charged exactly what is described on that meter.