When you hire a taxi or pre-book a private hire vehicle you have certain rights. These are:-

The driver must charge no more than the fare that is shown on the meter unless the fare is agreed before the journey commences.

The driver must take you to your destination by the shortest possible route unless you instruct otherwise.

The driver must not allow other passengers to share the vehicle without your agreement. When requested, the driver should assist in loading and unloading luggage and should also carry it to or from a house, station or place where the passengers are taken up or set down.

The driver should not smoke in his vehicle as it is now part of the new smokefree laws.

You are entitled to be covered by adequate insurance for the duration of your journey. You may not be covered if the number of passengers carried exceeds what is permitted by the licence. Each person is a passenger regardless of age (look at the plate on the back of the vehicle). You may not be covered if in the case of PRIVATE HIRE, you are carried in the vehicle without pre-booking your journey with the company's office beforehand and there is an accident caused by the driver of that vehicle.