Ceredigion approves 7% taxi fare increase despite public opposition

Ceredigion County Council has approved a 7% increase in hackney carriage taxi fares despite the majority of respondents to a public consultation opposing the move.

Senior councillors unanimously backed the new tariffs at a Cabinet meeting on 7 July following a request from the local taxi trade, which cited rising operating costs as the reason for the increase.

The revised tariff will be the first change to maximum taxi fares in the county since 2022. Under the new rates, the standard daytime starting fare for the first half-mile will increase from £3.50 to £3.70, while the highest night and public holiday starting fare will rise from £7.00 to £7.40. Distance charges under each tariff will also increase by around 7%.

The changes will make Ceredigion’s maximum taxi fares higher than those in neighbouring Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. Council figures show the county will move from having the joint 11th highest taxi fares among Wales’ 22 local authorities to the sixth highest once the revised tariff comes into effect.

A public consultation received 53 responses, with 62% opposing the increase. According to a report presented by Councillor Matthew Vaux, many residents argued the higher fares would have a “negative impact” and place people under “additional strain” during the ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The council report acknowledged a “clear divide between concerns about the affordability of taxi fares for passengers and the financial sustainability of taxi services in Ceredigion.” While some respondents believed fares were already too high, “many within the trade felt it was insufficient to sustain businesses, retain drivers and maintain taxi availability, particularly in rural areas.”

The report also highlighted the wider transport challenges facing rural communities. It said respondents “frequently highlighted the impact that further increases could have on vulnerable groups including elderly residents, disabled people, students, low-income households and non-drivers who rely on taxis for work, healthcare appointments, shopping and social connection.”

Critics also warned the higher fares could “increase isolation, reduce accessibility and place additional strain on people already affected by the wider cost-of-living crisis.”