East Devon taxi fare review set against rising costs as council reports steady licensing numbers
- Perry Richardson
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 22
East Devon District Council is reviewing its hackney carriage fare tariff after officers highlighted rising operating costs for taxi drivers, including higher fuel prices, vehicle maintenance and increases to the National Living Wage. The review comes alongside the latest licensing update, which shows taxi and private hire vehicle numbers have remained broadly stable across the district over the last year.
A report prepared for the council’s Licensing and Enforcement Committee says members have previously favoured smaller annual fare increases rather than larger, less frequent adjustments. Officers have again been asked to determine whether changes to the table of maximum fares are appropriate, with any preferred option subject to the statutory consultation process before implementation.
The report notes that diesel prices have risen sharply since the last fare review. Average UK diesel pump prices increased from 140.26p per litre in June 2025 to 172.47p per litre by June 2026, while petrol increased from 132.95p to 153.26p per litre. Consumer Price Index data also showed diesel costs rising by 25% and petrol by 19% over the previous 12 months. Vehicle maintenance costs, spare parts and repairs have also increased, adding further pressure to taxi operating costs.
Officers also point to East Devon’s rural geography as a significant consideration when assessing taxi fares. The report says drivers are likely to travel greater distances without passengers because of the district’s dispersed population, resulting in higher levels of “dead mileage” than operators in many urban areas.
At the same time, the report notes East Devon combines relatively high house prices with comparatively low wages, making affordability an important consideration for passengers as well as drivers.
Alongside the fare review, the committee received an update on taxi and private hire licensing activity. As of June 2026, East Devon licensed 134 hackney carriage drivers, 123 hackney carriage vehicles, 55 private hire drivers, 43 private hire vehicles and 31 private hire operators. Compared with June 2025, taxi driver numbers remain unchanged while hackney carriage vehicles have reduced from 127 to 123. Private hire drivers have increased from 52 to 55, private hire vehicles from 40 to 43 and operators from 28 to 31.
During the reporting period, officers processed seven new hackney carriage driver applications, nine new private hire driver applications, three new private hire vehicle applications and four new private hire operator applications.
The licensing report also confirms that one private hire vehicle licence was revoked during the reporting period after the vehicle remained suspended for more than two months. Officers said there were no entries to the National Register of Revocations, Refusals and Suspensions relating to drivers during the same period.
Council officers say the licensing team has remained under pressure but two new full-time licensing officers have now been appointed, providing what the report describes as “much needed relief” after several months of high workloads. Members were also reminded that a separate report on taxi fares had been prepared to allow a full discussion on whether East Devon’s maximum hackney carriage fares should change.
