Ipswich hackney carriage fares set for November rise following trade consultation
- Perry Richardson
- Oct 15
- 2 min read
Taxi fares in Ipswich are set to rise from 5 November 2025 after councillors backed a proposal to increase rates in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The 2.55% fare rise follows a request from the Ipswich Station Taxi Tenants Association (ISTTA), which was supported by 57% of drivers surveyed.
The change, which still requires statutory consultation, will see adjustments across all three tariff bands. For a two-mile journey, the daytime rate (Tariff 1) will rise from £7.80 to £8.00, the night rate (Tariff 2) from £9.80 to £10.00, and the Christmas and New Year rate (Tariff 3) from £11.60 to £11.80.
Rather than applying a flat increase to fixed charges, the council has revised both initial and subsequent journey distances to deliver an overall 2.55% rise. Waiting time charges will also increase accordingly.
Ipswich Borough Council reviews hackney carriage fares annually in agreement with trade representatives. The approach uses the CPI as a baseline unless other significant factors are present. The last fare adjustment was made in 2024.
Ipswich is currently ranked 86th in the national fare league table for a two-mile daytime journey. The new increase would see it move to joint 67th position out of 344 authorities, placing it broadly in line with neighbouring areas such as Colchester and Cambridge.
Councillors backed the recommendation on the grounds that the increase will help support drivers facing rising fuel and insurance costs. Officers noted that Ipswich remains one of the cheaper areas for motor insurance, though premiums have gone up across the board this year.
If no objections are received during the consultation period, the new fare structure will be implemented without delay. If any objections are lodged and not withdrawn, the proposal will be reviewed by the Portfolio Holder for Community and Sport alongside officers from Public Protection and Legal.
Ipswich currently licenses 150 hackney carriage vehicles, of which 23% are wheelchair accessible. Council officers said there is no evidence to suggest the fare rise would disproportionately affect those reliant on accessible vehicles.
The statutory notice will be published in local press and shared through the council’s communications with the taxi trade.
