The difference is legal, not cosmetic. A hackney carriage, usually just called a taxi, is licensed to "ply for hire": it can be hailed in the street, wait at a rank or be booked. A private hire vehicle, often called a minicab, cannot be hailed and cannot use a rank; every journey must be pre-booked through a licensed private hire operator. The two are licensed under different Acts, their fares are set differently, and in Buckinghamshire they look different too. Both are regulated, and both are safe when properly licensed. Which you want depends on whether you need a car right now or can plan ahead.
- A hackney carriage can be hailed in the street or taken from a rank; a private hire vehicle can only carry passengers who have booked through a licensed operator.
- Councils set maximum meter fares for hackney carriages; private hire fares are agreed with the operator, and the driver cannot charge more than that.
- In Buckinghamshire, taxis carry blue and white plates and a roof sign; private hire cars carry yellow plates and door signs.
What is a hackney carriage?
A hackney carriage is a vehicle licensed to stand or ply for hire under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, as updated by later legislation. In London, the black cab is the familiar example, licensed by Transport for London under separate London law. Outside London, hackney carriages can be saloons, wheelchair-accessible vehicles or London-style cabs.
A Buckinghamshire hackney carriage must have a council-approved, sealed taximeter, and its fare cannot exceed the council's table of fares. You can pick one up in three ways: flag it down, walk up to a rank, or phone and book.
What is a private hire vehicle?
A private hire vehicle is licensed under Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Section 80 of that Act defines it as a vehicle built or adapted to seat fewer than nine passengers, provided for hire with a driver, other than a hackney carriage or public service vehicle. The key rule is the booking: a private hire journey must be arranged through a licensed operator before it starts.
This covers far more than the traditional minicab. The DfT's guidance note on private hire licensing says most chauffeur, executive car and stretched limousine operations with fewer than nine passenger seats also fall within it. App-based ride services are private hire too.
How do the three private hire licences fit together?
The operator who accepts your booking, the driver and the vehicle each need a licence. Buckinghamshire Council's licensing policy says a Buckinghamshire private hire vehicle may only carry out journeys pre-booked through a Buckinghamshire-licensed operator, and only drivers licensed by the council may drive the vehicles it licenses. Under section 46 of the 1976 Act, operating or driving a private hire vehicle without the right licence is an offence.
How are fares set for each?
This is the difference passengers feel most.
- Hackney carriages: under section 65 of the 1976 Act, the council can fix maximum fares by time and distance. Buckinghamshire's table of fares has three tariffs, with higher rates at night, on Sundays and bank holidays, over Christmas and New Year, and for five or more passengers. A driver cannot charge more than the meter shows, except on a journey ending outside the council area where a price was agreed beforehand.
- Private hire vehicles: the council does not set fares. You agree the price with the operator, and Buckinghamshire's private hire driver conditions stop the driver charging more than the fare agreed with the operator.
In practice this means hackney fares are capped but vary with traffic and time, while private hire fares can be fixed in advance. Our guide to fixed-price vs metered taxis works through the numbers.
How can you tell them apart in Buckinghamshire?
| Hackney carriage (taxi) | Private hire (minicab) | |
|---|---|---|
| Plate and window card | Blue and white | Yellow |
| Roof sign | "Taxi" sign, lit when available | None |
| Door signs | None on the front doors | Signs on both front doors |
| Can be hailed or use a rank | Yes | No, pre-booked only |
| Fares | Meter, capped by council tariff | Agreed with operator |
This is drawn from the council's passenger guide to understanding the difference between taxis and private hire vehicles. Executive private hire cars may instead carry a smaller gold plate and no door signs. All licensed drivers must wear a visible photographic ID badge.
Is one safer than the other?
Neither is inherently safer. Drivers of both need a council licence, and Buckinghamshire applies the same enhanced DBS and barred list checks to both. The real risk is an unlicensed or unbooked car. The DfT's best practice guidance puts it simply: unless you are hailing a locally licensed taxi in the street or at a rank, do not get into any vehicle you have not pre-booked. A private hire driver who picks up a passenger without a booking is breaking the law and may not be insured.
Where can you find a taxi rank near Gerrards Cross?
Ranks are rarer in villages than people expect. Buckinghamshire Council's list of council-operated taxi ranks includes one space at Church Lane in Chalfont St Peter, five at Windsor End in Beaconsfield and ranks in Amersham, Chesham and Marlow, but none in Gerrards Cross. Some ranks, such as those at stations and hospitals, are privately operated. Outside the main towns, pre-booking is usually the only reliable option.
Which should you use?
Use a hackney carriage when you are near a rank or on a busy street and need to go now, particularly for a short trip. Use private hire when you can plan: airport runs, early starts, evenings out in the villages, journeys with luggage or several passengers, and anything where you want the price agreed first.
GX Executive And Taxi is a private hire operator based in Gerrards Cross. Every journey is pre-booked, even if that is ten minutes before you need the car, and quoted as a fixed fare. See our Gerrards Cross taxi service, local pages for Chalfont St Giles, Denham and Slough, or our airport transfers.