What is plying for hire?

Plying for hire - what is this arcane, elusive concept? Should it be defined? Should it be left alone? Just what does it mean? These are questions that crop up very frequently in taxi licensing matters. Here is my stab at setting out the law on plying for hire, with particular emphasis on the tension between the activities of hackney carriages (which can ply for hire - it is their defining characteristic) and other vehicles, including - now - licensed private hire vehicles.

As stated in the note, plying for hire is highly fact specific - if you have a particular issue, then take appropriate legal advice.