Information on taxis

Your council is responsible for licensing taxis and private hire drivers as well as vehicles and private hire operators.

What is a taxi (hackney carriage)?

Hackney carriages are more commonly known as taxis. They stand on a taxi rank, may be hailed in the street or be pre-booked either directly or through a licensed operator. Hackney carriages are regulated under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and amended under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Private hire vehicles

You can only book private hire vehicles through a licensed operator prior to the journey. They cannot stand on a taxi rank or be hailed in the street. Private hire drivers, vehicles and operators are regulated under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Wheelchair accessible vehicles

You can download a list of all wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in Lewes district and Eastbourne below.

If you are considering offering a wheelchair accessible vehicle as part of your service, please read the Gov.uk guidance document, Access to taxis and private hire vehicles for disabled users at: