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GLASGOW TAXI CARD PAYMENTS: 83% back mandatory acceptance in council consultation
Glasgow councillors are due to consider whether to require licensed taxi drivers to accept card payments, following a consultation that drew 1,666 responses.
Glasgow City Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee will consider the consultation findings at its meeting on 11 November. The report asks members to note the responses and decide whether to introduce licence conditions requiring drivers to accept credit and debit cards.
Of those who answered the question, 83.16% supported a requirement, including 77.95% who strongly agreed and 5.21% who tended to agree. A further 14.53% disagreed, while 2.06% had no opinion. The council said 99.1% of respondents answered this question.
The consultation ran from 4 February to 1 June 2026 and received 1,666 responses. Members of the public accounted for 72.39% of respondents and taxi drivers for 15.23%. The council also emailed the consultation link to local taxi trade bodies, Unite the Union’s Glasgow Cab Section, Glasgow Taxis Ltd, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Police Scotland and elected members.
Supporters said mandatory card acceptance could widen travel options, particularly late at night, reduce delays at taxi ranks and prevent drivers from selecting journeys based on payment method. Other responses pointed to changing passenger habits, convenience and the potential for a transaction record identifying the driver and vehicle.
Opponents raised the cost of card terminals and transaction fees, arguing that drivers should retain control over how their businesses operate. They also cited unreliable connections and the risk of a failed card payment leaving a driver without the fare. The council’s report records concerns about declined cards, chargebacks, cash becoming less widely used and drivers claiming a machine is out of order.
Among respondents who answered whether conditions could address concerns, 31.63% said they could not be mitigated and 22.33% said they could. Suggestions included requiring receipts when requested, clear signs showing card payments are accepted, a process for network outages and a way to report refusals. Some also proposed linking card machines to meters or requiring pre-authorisation before a journey.
The report says cash would remain an available payment method if the council introduced a card-acceptance condition. It also states that Glasgow City Council would not select or require a particular card-machine supplier. Drivers and operators without a device would face the cost of obtaining one, while the council says there would be no financial implications for the licensing authority.
No decision has yet been made. If members favour new conditions, they are also asked to consider how they would address payment problems and network outages, and whether an implementation period should apply to new and renewing taxi driver licence applications. The report notes that older and disabled passengers, as well as visitors to Glasgow, could benefit from card acceptance across licensed taxis.
