Maximum taxi fares
Overview
The cost of using a hackney carriage, more commonly known as a ‘taxi’, depends on when and how far you travel. The total cost is referred to as a ‘fare’ and is calculated on an electronic meter installed in the vehicle.
As well as licensing taxi drivers and vehicles, the Council can set the maximum that they can charge. The main charge is normally for the distance i.e. the further you go, the higher the end fare. There are also often extra charges for time delays, when there are higher numbers of passengers and costs are also multiplied during evenings, weekends and public holidays. When a Council sets maximum charges, it publishes them as a ‘table of fares’.
Tables of fares can vary dramatically from council to council, with different rates and/or percentage multipliers for different times of the day, days of the week and on public holidays. As the table of fares the council sets is a maximum rate that can be charged, this still leaves room for customers to negotiate lower fares and competition in the marketplace.
Somerset Council introduced the current table of maximum fares in May 2024. A survey of licence holders found that 59% supported some form of increase to the current maximum.
Having considered the results of the consultation alongside inflationary pressures since May 2024 and changes in fuel costs, it is considered reasonable to increase the maximum that can be charged for distance and waiting time by 10%.
The proposal also includes a discretionary maximum £10 booking fee for pre-booked fares, to incentivise drivers to offer services their services in more rural areas where they might have to travel not insignificant distances before even reaching the customer’s pick-up location.This isn’t included in the current table of fares, however a £20 booking fee was part of the maximum previously in force in the Sedgemoor licensing area.
The table of maximum fares proposed is as follows:
|
Standard Tariff |
|
|
£5.06 |
First mile (currently £4.60) |
|
£0.33 |
For each completed 1/10 of a mile or part thereof (currently £0.30) |
|
Waiting Time |
|
|
£1.10 |
Each completed 2 minutes (currently £1.00) |
|
Non-standard Tariffs (only one per fare) |
|
|
+ 50% |
Monday to Friday between 22:00 and 07:00 |
|
+ 50% |
Saturdays and Sundays all day |
|
+ 50% |
In excess of 4 passengers, Monday to Friday between 07:00 and 22:00 |
|
+ 100% |
In excess of 4 passengers, Monday to Friday between 22:00 and 07:00 |
|
+ 100% |
In excess of 4 passengers, Saturdays and Sundays all day |
|
+ 100% |
Public and Bank holidays, all day (including Christmas day) |
|
+ 100% |
Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, from 18:00 to 00:00 |
|
Extras |
|
|
£100 |
Soiling Charge |
|
£10 |
Booking fee when hire is pre-arranged (currently not included) |
|
Full recharge |
Toll / Clean air zone charges |
Why your views matter
Anyone can object to the proposed new table, by responding to our consultation.
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